Beautician Annie Banister, 28, has been banned from the road for 14 months after she was caught driving her black Mercedes A180 while twice the drug-drive limit, a day after smoking cannabis. She was pulled over by police after being seen 'weaving' on a roundabout in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, at 2.45pm on October 22 last year.
Court Hearing Details
At Crewe Magistrates Court, Banister, from Poynton, Cheshire, admitted drug driving but insisted she was not under the influence at the time of her arrest. She told magistrates she smoked cannabis in the evenings to 'relax' and was shocked to discover the drug was still in her system around 16 hours later.
Banister said: 'I do not smoke and drive and at the time I was not under the influence. I had not taken cannabis that day - it was from the night before. I was not driving under the influence but it was still in my system. Recently, I quit but I am probably going to have to quit my job and I'm probably going to lose my house. This has really affected my life.'
Blood Test Results
After failing a roadside drug test, a subsequent blood test showed she had 4.4 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per litre of blood. THC is the principal psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, and the legal limit for drivers is 2mcg per litre. Banister had a previous conviction for possessing cannabis.
Nigel Jones, prosecuting, said: 'The defendant was viewed weaving across the roundabout and a police officer stopped the vehicle the defendant was driving. Whilst there the officer conducted a roadside drug wipe and the defendant provided a positive sample as indicated in the charge.'
Penalty and Magistrate's Remarks
Banister was fined £230 and ordered to pay £209 in costs and a surcharge. She was also banned from driving for 14 months. Chairman of the bench, Andrew Kerr, said: 'You have brought this entirely upon yourself. Drugs can remain in your system for a substantially longer period that you might have otherwise realised.'
