Drug-driver was caught after police mistook his can of Fanta Orange for beer

A man who got behind the wheel after taking cocaine was caught after police mistook his can of juice for a beer.

Gareth Gauntley, 38, of Beech Road in Lynn, appeared at the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday charged with drug-driving.

He pleaded guilty to the offence, which he committed on April 8.

Crown prosecutor Lesla Small told the court that on that date, police pulled Gauntley over while he was driving after spotting him holding what they believed to be a can of lager.

It transpired that this was not the case, but despite returning a negative roadside breath test result, a saliva swipe revealed he was over the limit for Benzoylecgonine – a cocaine breakdown.

He was arrested, and later evidential samples showed he had 101mcg of the Class A drug per litre of blood in his system. The legal limit to drive is 50mcg.

Magistrates, led by Terrance Geater, disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

Gauntley will also pay a £500 fine, £200 victim surcharge and £105 in legal costs.

Mitigating, Andrew Cogan said: “He tells me that from the time of his arrest, he is in the investigation centre for the grand total of 45 minutes.

“In fact, the reason for him being stopped is… well, I am not quite sure how good the officers’ observational skills are, but he tells me he was in fact drinking from a can of Fanta Orange.

“He does accept that he has a drug problem, and from April has taken steps to to address both drug and alcohol problems that he has.

“So in respect of that, sir, he has cleaned up his act. My submission to you is that he is unlikely to trouble the court again.”