TAKING a week off from driving after smoking a joint wasn't enough to stop a third charge for a man, whose life is "not going well".
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Blake Holmes, 27, of Bonnor Street, Kelso pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on April 17, 2024 to driving with drugs in his system.
Holmes was behind the wheel of a silver Ford sedan when he was pulled over by police at the intersection of Boyd and Bonnor streets in Kelso about 9.15pm on December 8, 2023, court papers say.
He was asked for his licence before he was subject to a drug test, which came back positive for cannabis.
Holmes was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station.
While in custody, Holmes gave a second positive test for the drug, which was later confirmed by forensic analysis.
"I smoked just a joint walking back from the shops," he said.
Sentence
WITH three driving with drug charges on Holmes' record and a number of court orders for other matters, Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis said it was clear his "life is not going well".
"I stopped smoking ... I didn't know how long it lasted in my system so I didn't drive for a week," he said.
Holmes was convicted and fined $1500.
He was also taken off the road for nine months.
