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Driver caught with cannabis above legal limit in Lake District

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 06:58 · Archive

A 23-year-old from Cambridge tested positive for cannabis after police stopped him in a Kendal car park at 4:50am on his way to climb Scafell Pike.

William Maxwell Robinson, aged 23, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to having a specified controlled drug above the legal limit whilst in charge of a motor vehicle at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court.

Police encountered Robinson at 4:50am on 6 April in the car park of Holy Trinity Parish Church in Kendal. He had driven from his home in Cambridge with the intention of climbing Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. Officers noted that the headlights of his Audi A4 sport were illuminated. They asked him to undertake a roadside DrugWipe test.

Robinson was arrested after returning a positive reading for cannabis. Prosecutor Lee Dacre told the court the lowest reading was 5.5 mcg/L, more than twice the legal limit for prosecution of 2.0 mcg/L.

Defence solicitor Andy Gallagher explained that Robinson had stopped in Kendal to rest overnight before completing his journey to Scafell Pike. He initially attempted to park at an Asda car park but found there was a three-hour time limit. He then located the church car park, which had no restrictions, where he smoked cannabis before returning to his vehicle and encountering police.

Gallagher argued there was no evidence of significant impairment. He noted that Robinson has since stopped smoking cannabis and that his partner is currently pregnant with their third child.

Robinson narrowly avoided a driving ban following his guilty plea.

Driver caught with cannabis above legal limit in Lake District
Image: Westmorland Gazette

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In this story: William Maxwell Robinson · South Cumbria Magistrates' Court · Cambridge · Kendal · Scafell Pike · Lake District

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