Driver claims he finished bag of cocaine after being pulled over by police due to fear of drugs charge

A man claimed he finished a bag of cocaine after being pulled over by police because he was scared of being caught with the drugs.Robert Nobes, 42, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to drug-diving.However, his solicitor said he originally considered denying the charge due to the short time that had passed between police pulling him over and the drugs being administered.

That was because, they argued in court, Nobes only consumed the cocaine after being pulled over by police out of fear of being charged with possession of a Class A substance.Crown prosecutor Colette Harper had told the court that on June 19 last year, Nobes was driving along Reid Way in Lynn when he was pulled over by police because he had a brake light out.He was asked to take a breath test, which came back negative, but returned a positive drug result after providing a blood sample.He had 32mcg of cocaine per litre of blood in his system, exceeding the legal limit to drive of 10mcg.Nobes was arrested and later released under investigation.Mitigating, duty solicitor Andrew Cogan said that it has been “a long road” for Nobes, who lives at Wellesley Road in Great Yarmouth.He said he has split up from his girlfriend in recent months, and is currently living in a van.Mr Cogan said Nobes originally considered asking for checks to be carried out to ascertain whether the cocaine had been in his system for a “very, very short period of time”.“He said he had given a lift to someone who he thought was a friend,” the solicitor said.“They left a wrap of cocaine, and the following day he went to return it when he was pulled over.“He knew they would find a car with cocaine in it, so he took it there and then so as to avoid being charged with possession of a Class A drug.“He doesn’t normally take drugs – it is not something he approves of. I invite you to give him full credit in respect of his guilty plea.”Mr Cogan added that Nobes was fully compliant with officers, and only started “being extravagant” when he became worried for the welfare of his dog following his arrest.Magistrates, chaired by Louise Barber, disqualified Nobes from driving for 17 months.He will also pay a £200 fine, £80 victim surcharge and £105 in legal costs.