Police alerted by public about smell of cannabis in car
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A man has been banned from driving after members of the public noticed the smell of cannabis coming from his car.
John Rogers (35) was driving north on the A9 Inverness-Perth road near Aviemore on May 31, earlier this year, when police were alerted to the possible presence of recreational drugs in the motor, Inverness Sheriff Court heard earlier today.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke said: "What had been reported was of a smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle.
"Police pulled over the vehicle into a lay-by. The vehicle was not insured.
"He was a provisional driver and was driving without L-plates and a supervising driver."
Ms Poke said officers recovered 20 grammes of cannabis from the car.
Rogers, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, was not in court when the guilty plea to three charges of driving without a licence, possession of a class B drug, and having no car insurance was tendered by his solicitor William Young.
Mr Young said: "He had been travelling north with his partner.
"She had been driving throughout the journey but she had become tired and he opted foolishly to take over."
The court heard the car was insured but just not for Rogers.
Mr Young added: "It is conceded that it was a foolish error.
"The drugs were for his own use only. He accepts that they should not have been in the car."
Sheriff Gary Aitken fined Rogers £600 and put six points on his licence.
As he already had six points, under the totting up procedures, he is now banned from driving for six months.
