A 34-year-old grandmother has been banned from driving for three years after being caught behind the wheel while under the influence of cannabis. Samantha Eaton was stopped by police in Bebington, Wirral, last September as she drove to pick up her daughter from school.
Tests revealed Eaton had almost one-and-a-half times the legal limit of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, in her system. The former care worker pleaded guilty to drug driving at Sefton Magistrates' Court and was fined £160, with £264 in costs and surcharge.
Eaton, who has two children and a grandchild, told the court she had turned to cannabis to help her sleep after a traumatic petrol bomb attack on her home in 2023. The attack was linked to her ex-partner's criminal associates. She said she was unaware she would be over the limit when driving.
Prosecutor Lynne Sayers said there were no aggravating features, no passengers, and no accident. Eaton's father paid for a private blood test to challenge the police reading, but it confirmed she was over the limit.
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Boswell warned that cannabis is illegal and can damage physical and mental health. He acknowledged the trauma Eaton had suffered but said illegal drugs were not the answer.
Eaton, who has previous convictions for drink driving and possession of a Class A drug, said the driving ban would severely impact her life as she now lives 30 minutes from familiar areas. She plans to return to care work.
