A Stirling taxi driver was caught driving while stoned after a customer reported him to the cops.
David Ferguson appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday after admitting charges, by letter, of driving while unfit to drive through drink or drugs and possessing cannabis.
The court was told that 33-year-old Ferguson, responding to a booking, had arrived at city centre hotel The Golden Lion about 11pm on Saturday April 9 this year to pick up a couple.
But after entering the vehicle and detecting a strong smell of cannabis the couple told Ferguson he was ‘too high’ to drive before they exited.
The male passenger had noticed that Ferguson’s pupils were very large. His speech was also slurred.
Fiscal depute Sean Iles told the court that Ferguson quickly drove off and police were contacted. Cops then got in touch with the taxi firm and traced the vehicle, with its engine running, in the car park of Bannockburn Miners’ Welfare about 12.20am.
As the police car pulled up the taxi began to drive away, Mr Iles added.
However, police activated their car’s blue lights and signalled to the other vehicle to stop.
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The driver was slow to react, and as the taxi stopped it rolled back as if the handbrake had not been applied properly.
Mr Iles added when officers spoke to Ferguson he appeared dazed. There was also a strong smell of cannabis. When searched, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, officers found a green herbal substance and a pipe in the front right pocket of the accused’s jeans.
Ferguson, of Etive Place, Cornton, was arrested and taken to Falkirk Police Office where he was later examined by a doctor who concluded his condition was due to drugs. The herbal substance, weighing 1.2g, tested positive for cannabis.
Ferguson, who was representing himself, told Sheriff William Gilchrist that his taxi driving licence had been suspended following the incident. Sheriff Gilchrist told Ferguson that a driving ban was mandatory for such an offence and, when questioned, Ferguson told the court it was possible that a new job with a building firm would be affected by the loss of his driving licence.
Driving under the influence of drugs was a serious matter, Sheriff Gilchrist added, involving passengers and other road users.
Asked if he wanted to say anything about the matter, Ferguson replied: “It was a stupid mistake”.
Sheriff Gilchrist sentenced Ferguson to a community payback order comprising 100 hours’ unpaid work to be completed within 12 months due to the uncertainty of Ferguson’s financial position and the seriousness of the drug-driving offence. He also banned him from driving for 16 months.
Ferguson was admonished on the charge of possessing cannabis.
