Four drivers banned after drug-driving convictions in north-west

Summarised from 3 outlets · 8 reports · Updated 10 Oct, 07:08 · Archive

Four drivers have been banned from driving in courts across north-west England after admitting drug-driving offences involving cannabis and cocaine.

Four drivers have been banned from driving after admitting drug-driving offences in magistrates' courts across north-west England.

Adam Dad, of Norwich Road, Walsall, appeared at Dudley Magistrates' Court on 3 August 2026 and admitted two counts of driving over the specified drug limit. Both offences occurred on 15 February 2026 on the M6 northbound at junction 37 and between junctions 36 and 37 near Kendal, Cumbria, whilst driving a Mazda 3. His blood was found to contain more than 400 micrograms per litre of Benzoylecgonine and not less than 5.5 micrograms per litre of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, both above legal limits. Dad received a 30-month driving ban, a community order requiring 120 hours of unpaid work by 4 October 2027, and must pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge in monthly instalments of £50 from 2 November 2026.

Steven Sinclair, 36, of Bulford Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court to driving over the THC limit after a member of the public reported witnessing him smoking cannabis before driving a Citroen Dispatch at Grizedale on 16 May. Police stopped him at High Newton on the A590 and a roadside DrugWipe test proved positive. At Barrow police station, he provided a lowest reading of 7.6 micrograms per litre of THC. Sinclair, who had one relevant previous conviction in 2017, was fined £120, banned for three years, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

Stephen Graham, 39, of Longpool, Kendal, was stopped on Windermere Road in Kendal on 23 February while driving a Ford Transit van. Officers smelled cannabis and he returned a roadside reading of 2.9 micrograms per litre of THC. In mitigation, his solicitor explained he had taken cannabis the night before following a friend's death and that it was a one-off incident. Graham pleaded guilty and was fined £442, banned for 12 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £117 victim surcharge.

Connor Garrett, 25, of Stanley Road, Barrow, was stopped on 25 April after database checks showed his vehicle was insured to a female. He tested positive at the roadside and provided a blood sample showing 4.7 micrograms per litre of THC, more than twice the 2.0 micrograms per litre prosecution limit. His solicitor said he was a frequent user of cannabis to assist with eating and sleeping and had a previous drug-driving conviction dating to 2024. Garrett pleaded guilty and received a three-year ban, a £120 fine, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

How it is being reported

• ‘Frequent user of cannabis’ handed three-year ban for drug drivingA ‘FREQUENT user of cannabis’ has received a mandatory minimum three-year ban for drug driving.NW Evening Mail · 10 Oct, 06:00
• Driver caught nearly four times over drug limit gets three-year banA MAN caught nearly four times over a legal drug driving limit has been sentenced.Westmorland Gazette · 10 Oct, 06:00
• Driver caught nearly four times over drug limit gets three-year banA MAN caught nearly four times over a legal drug driving limit has been sentenced.NW Evening Mail · 10 Oct, 06:00
• Dad banned from driving after smoking cannabis following friend’s deathA DAD has received a driving ban after he smoked cannabis following the death of a close friend.NW Evening Mail · 10 Oct, 06:00
• Dad banned from driving after smoking cannabis following friend’s deathA DAD has received a driving ban after he smoked cannabis following the death of a close friend.Westmorland Gazette · 10 Oct, 06:00
• Walsall man banned for 30 months after twice exceeding drug-driving limitWalsall man Adam Dad banned from driving for 30 months after twice breaching cocaine and cannabis drug-driving limits on the M6 near Kendal, court hears.NW Evening Mail · 10 Oct, 05:00
• Walsall man banned for 30 months after twice exceeding drug-driving limitWalsall man Adam Dad banned from driving for 30 months after twice breaching cocaine and cannabis drug-driving limits on the M6 near Kendal, court hears.Westmorland Gazette · 10 Oct, 05:00
• Walsall man banned for 30 months after twice exceeding drug-driving limitWalsall man Adam Dad banned from driving for 30 months after twice breaching cocaine and cannabis drug-driving limits on the M6 near Kendal, court hears.News & Star · 10 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Adam Dad · Steven Sinclair · Stephen Graham · Connor Garrett · Dudley Magistrates' Court · South Cumbria Magistrates' Court · M6 · Kendal

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem