A DRUG-DRIVER who had taken cocaine and cannabis made the decision to get behind the wheel because a family dog had been run over.

Police saw a Mercedes vehicle being driven by Ava Johnson, 43, in Whitehaven on the evening of November 9, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the vehicle came to a stop at Aldi on Preston Street. Police located the defendant and a stop search was carried out. Drugs paraphernalia were found.

Johnson was asked to carry out a drugs wipe and this was positive for cocaine. She was arrested and taken to the police station.

A blood sample was taken which showed Johnson had 42mcg of cocaine per litre of blood. The specified limit is 10mcg.

There was also evidence of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis) but this was below the limit.

Johnson, who was not legally represented, had nothing to say about the offence.

A probation officer said cocaine and cannabis were the defendant’s drugs of choice. Her cocaine use was ‘sporadic’ but cannabis was being used daily.

Johnson was using the drugs as a ‘coping mechanism’ and her life was described as ‘quite chaotic’.

The court was told that the defendant made the decision to drive because her son’s dog had been run over and part of its tail was hanging off. They had called a taxi but it wouldn’t take animals.

Johnson, of Smithfield Road, Egremont, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.

Magistrates imposed a 17-month driving ban. Johnson was given a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

She was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.