Moray drug-driver from Forres given ban by Elgin Sheriff Court

A motorist has received a long ban after being caught drug-driving three times in less than four months.

Members of the public called the police to the West Road Filling Station in Elgin on July 28 last year.

When the officers arrived at about 3.15pm they found Simone Crichton sat alone inside a vehicle. Her speech was described as “slurred” but a breath test showed she wasn’t drunk.

The outcome was that the 34-year-old was taken to a police station in order to undergo a drugs test.

Rather than Elgin, though, the test was administered in Aberdeen for reasons not stated in court. Despite the delay there was a positive result for cannabis.

Crichton had a reading of 2.4, whereas 2.0 is the limit at which the law states a person’s ability to drive is harmed.

She was then stopped again five weeks later, on October 4, while in charge of a car outside her home at Brig Wynd, Forres. On this occasion the test showed a reading of 2.8.

The third offence drug-driving took place on Grantown Road, Forres, on November 3, with a reading showing 3.7.

The defendant pleaded guilty to three charges of driving while under the influence of cannabis.

Defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill stated that his client had been experiencing some problems in her life and had used cannabis to “self medicate”.

The lawyer added that her tolerance to the drug had risen. This, said Mr O’Neill, had left her with the mistaken impression that she’d been alright to drive.

It was also stated that she’s been stopped by the same officers on a further occasion and had not tested positive.

Crichton was banned from the roads for 40 months.

She will also be the subject of a drug testing and treatment order for the next eight months.