Stoned driver drove while under the influence because he 'needed to get food'

A stoned driver stopped by police had been going to the shops to get food because he was "starving", a court heard. Teslim Sadiq, 27, was caught driving his Mercedes along Saffron Lane shortly before midnight on Sunday, November 26 last year.

Leicestershire Police officers in the area were so worried about his driving they pulled him over. As well as having no insurance and only a provisional licence, he was suspected of being under the influence of cannabis so he was taken to a police station where a sample of blood was taken.

He appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to driving while over the limit, having already admitting the licence and insurance offences. The court heard the amount of cannabis in his blood was 5.3 microgrammes per 100ml and the legal limit is two microgrammes.

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Sukhy Basi, prosecuting, told the court: "Police were on Saffron Lane at around 11.50pm heading towards the Pork Pie Roundabout when they saw the black Mercedes. They pulled it over due to the manner in which it was being driven.

"There was a strong, distinct smell of cannabis. A drug wipe test was positive and a blood sample was analysed and found to contain the drug."

Sadiq, representing himself in court, told the magistrates: "I was starving. There was no food at home - I just needed to get something to eat."

The court heard Sadiq lives with his brother in Saffron Road, Wigston, and worked as a cleaner in a warehouse in the Fosse Park area. He was fined £286 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

He was banned from driving for 14 months.