Cocaine was in blood of man 'asleep' in vehicle at filling station forecourt
Cocaine was found in the blood of a Co Antrim man after a report that he had been asleep in the driver's seat of a vehicle in the forecourt of a filling station, a court has heard.
The 52-year-old pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit on January 22 this year.
Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told police attended the scene at Main Street, Toome and the defendant – Stephen Liam Matthews, whose address was listed as Ballygowan Road near Ballynure – was in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition.
A defence barrister said the defendant had been at a property the night before and had "consumed illicit substances".
He felt "impaired" whilst driving and stopped to "sleep it off".
The barrister said the defendant was "entirely remorseful".
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She said her client provides care and assistance for his elderly mother.
The lawyer said the defendant is due to get three penalty points put on his licence for an unrelated matter - a defective tyre - and she asked for a "short period of disqualification as opposed to points" for the in-charge offence as going over 12 penalty points would have a "significant impact on him".
The defendant was banned from driving for a month and was fined £200.
District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant it was a "lenient" sentence and warned if he is caught again involved with a vehicle whilst under the influence he would "face a very lengthy disqualification".