Driver was high on drugs

A motorist who drove down both lanes of the Acle Straight after he had been smoking cannabis to help with his depression was banned from driving for a year yesterday.

A court heard Lloyd Woodhouse had smoked so much cannabis that when police asked him to touch his nose he completely missed it.

Woodhouse was appearing at Yarmouth Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to driving a Vauxhall Vectra while he was unfit through drugs on December 30.

The court heard that a motorist on the A47 had called police after Woodhouse was seen driving erratically along both lanes of the Acle Straight towards Yarmouth. The motorist had been forced to brake sharply to avoid Woodhouse.

Rachel Balfour, prosecuting, said: “The vehicle was driven all over the road.”

Police pulled Woodhouse, 23, of Maidstone Road, Norwich, over at the end of the Acle Straight.

Ms Balfour said the officers noticed a very strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and that Woodhouse had some cannabis on his lap. He also had a female passenger in the car.

During tests to see if he was being affected by drugs, Woodhouse was asked by police to touch his nose - but he missed it several times. He also swayed as he stood up.

Woodhouse told police that he smoked cannabis an hour before he got behind the wheel

Annette Hall, representing Woodhouse, said her client had been suffering from severe depression.

She said: “In trying to deal with that issue he has tried to use cannabis. He is exceptionally sorry for this offence and he realises how serious it is.”

The court heard that because of his 12 month ban Woodhouse had lost the chance to take up a job as it involved driving.

He had no previous convictions and a previously clean driving licence.

During his sentencing Magistrates told Woodhouse that taking cannabis was not the way to tackle his depression.

Dr Rodney Edrich said: “You must seek medical help.”

Woodhouse was also fined �100.