Roads ban is "big punishment" for Herefordshire duty manager

Lee Shawn Mills entered a guilty plea to one count of drug-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in March.

Police had been on patrol on the B4349 at Clehonger when they spotted Mills behind the wheel of a black Volkswagen Golf, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

Officers pulled Mills over, believing he may have committed a minor traffic offence, Mr Hambling said, and he was arrested after failing a roadside drug test.

An evidential blood test revealed that he had 26 microgrammes of cocaine per litre of blood. The legal limit is 10.

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Philip Cornell, for Mills, said that the 31-year-old had fully cooperated with police.

"The reasons why he took the cocaine relate to traumatic experiences that were going on at the time," Mr Cornell said.

"He is not an addict and used it socially to take his mind off things."

The court heard that a roads ban will be a "really, really big punishment" for Mills, who works as a duty manager, as he lives in Kingstone.

"He can rely on some relatives, but of course the bus service is almost non-existent," Mr Cornell said.

"He will be trying to keep his job."

Mills, of Cottons Meadow, Kingstone, was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £387. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135 and a £155 victim surcharge.