Salisbury dad Jake Cooper banned for drug driving in Amesbury

Jake Cooper, 19, was intercepted by police officers at the driveway of his former home in Amesbury on December 17, 2023.

Police became involved with a dark blue Volkswagen Golf earlier that day and a group of officers set out to find the car while others traced it back to the registered owner's then-home address.

When they arrived at Princess Way, the car was not there immediately but Cooper soon arrived with a friend in his front passenger seat.

Cooper told the police that he is a cannabis user and that he had smoked the drug the night before. He did not think he was over the drug driving limit.

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Officers took breath and blood samples which found 3.8 micrograms of cannabis breakdown per litre of Cooper's blood. The legal limit is two micrograms.

William Griffiths, defending, told the court that Cooper was 18 years old when he committed the offence last year.

Mr Griffiths said: "A young man, 18 years old at the time. Six months have passed and there has been no sign of recidivism.

"He fully cooperated with the police. He didn't believe he was over the limit at the time.

"The breakdown product remains in your system longer than people believe."

Salisbury Magistrates' Court. (Image: Newsquest)

The court heard that Cooper had one previous conviction for a dissimilar offence.

The young father was working as a builder before he committed the offence but had been let go.

He has since been claiming universal credit but said he wanted to restart work as he "didn't want to be the family with a father who is banned from driving".

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Salisbury Magistrates' Court disqualified Cooper's driving licence for 12 months during a hearing on Friday, June 28.

Cooper was also ordered to pay a fine of £120, court costs of £85 and a £48 surcharge. Credit was given for his early guilty plea.