Police detected an ‘overpowering smell of cannabis’ when they stopped a driver in Scarborough.
It happened on 1 December, the opening day of their Christmas drink and drug drive campaign.
Daniel Simon Kennedy, 38, was stopped while driving on Westwood by Inspector James Hope.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “As he spoke to Mr Kennedy, the pungent and overpowering smell of cannabis coming from him and the vehicle led Inspector Hope to conduct a roadside drug wipe on Mr Kennedy.
“This tested positive for cannabis and he was swiftly arrested and taken into custody where a blood test was carried out.”
The blood test showed that the defendant had five times the legal limit of cannabis in his blood at 9.8 micrograms of cannabis per litre of blood, the specified limit being 2 micrograms per litre of blood.
Mr Kennedy, from Cranbeck Close, Bridlington, was charged with drug driving and appeared at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Monday).
He pleaded guilty and was banned from driving for three years, fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £200.
Inspector Hope of Scarborough Police, said: “Mr Kennedy has driven with blatant disregard for the safety of other road users and communities in the Scarborough area and is now facing the consequences.
“Drink and drug driving is one of the key causes of fatal and serious collisions. Not only do intoxicated drivers suffer from slower reactions, but they can also experience dangerous overconfidence and engage in poor decision making that endangers both themselves and other road users.
“It will not be tolerated in our neighbourhoods and North |Yorkshire Police will continue to target those who flout the law and put others in danger throughout 2026.”
