A MAN who admitted to police he had been taking drugs at his friend's house the day before he drove has been convicted, fined and disqualified from driving.
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Matthew Christopher Bennett, 31, of West Street, Bathurst, did not appear before magistrate Cate Follent to answer the charge of being caught behind the wheel with illicit drugs in his blood (second-plus offence) and the matter was dealt with in his absence.
Magistrate Follent fined Bennett $500 and disqualified him from driving for six months.
Police facts tendered to the court told how Bennett drove on the Great Western Highway at 3.35pm on November 3, 2018 with an illicit drug in his system.
Police were patrolling the highway and Bennett was stopped for a random drug and alcohol test.
He was asked for his licence and produced a P2 driver's licence.
Bennett was given a breath test, which produced a negative result, and was then given an oral fluid test, which produced a positive detection to methamphetamine, according to the police facts.
Bennett was arrested for the purpose of a secondary oral fluid test and provided a sample that also produced a positive result to methamphetamine.
The remainder of the sample was placed in a sealed vial in the presence of Bennett and sent to the Forensic and Analytical Science service at Lidcombe, according to the police facts.
In relation to taking drugs, Bennett told the police he had done so the day before at his mate's house and said he takes drugs about three times a year, according to the police facts.
The sample sent for analysis returned a positive result to methamphetamine, and Bennett was charged by police.
