Mother-of-one teaching assistant, 26, caught driving while under the influence of cannabis banned from roads after claiming she used drug for 'pain management'
Mother of one Megan Washington, 26, was stopped by police in her Vauxhall Insignia with a youngster in the passenger seat after a tip-off she might have been smoking the drug before getting behind the wheel.
Tests showed Washington was slightly over the limit for THC, the principal active ingredient of cannabis, and also BZE, the breakdown product of cocaine.
When quizzed, Washington - who is understood to work at a secondary school - said she been using cannabis for pain management, but was seeking professional help to wean herself off it.
She claimed she had not realised that the drugs were still in her system and would not have driven if she had known.
There was no evidence the manner of her driving was erratic.
The reason for her pain issues and why she had traces of cocaine in her system were not disclosed.
A former legal secretary, according to her social media pages she is currently studying a BA Honours degree in English Literature at the Open University.
Megan Washington outside Chester magistrates court where she was fined £120 and banned from driving for 16 months after admitting two counts of drug driving
Washington, from Winsford, Cheshire, admitted two charges of drug driving.
She was also ordered to pay £133 in costs and surcharge and banned from driving for 16 months.
The incident occurred at 2.50pm on February 9 when Washington was driving her car through the village of Moulton, Chester magistrates court heard.
Scott Woodward, prosecuting, said: 'Police stopped a Vauxhall Insignia after there was information given that there may be someone under the influence of cannabis driving it.
'There was also a young passenger in the vehicle.
'The defendant informed the officers that she was a regular cannabis user.
'Therefore the officer requested a roadside DrugWipe which was positive for cannabis.
She was subsequently arrested and taken to custody.
'The defendant has no previous convictions.'
Tests showed Washington had 2.8 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 60 micrograms of benzoylecgonine (BZE) per litre of blood.
The legal limit for the drugs is micrograms per litre and 50 micrograms per litre respectively.
Washington declined to have the court's duty solicitor represent her.
She told the hearing: 'I can only apologise. I did not realise.
'If I realised that there was anything still in my system I would not have driven that day.'
She added: 'It was for pain management.
'I had a doctor's referral and I am trying to get myself off it.
'I've now sold the car as this freaked me out a bit.'
The court legal advisor told JPs: 'She has a clean driving licence.
'I would think a defence would ask you to take a common sense approach.
'Your concern would be was if there any evidence of obvious impairment of driving.
'But the car was flagged up for some reason on the ANPR and pulled over because of the vehicle itself - not because of any evidence of impairment of driving.
'It has been found that people that regularly who smoke cannabis build up a tolerance so that it is basically permanently in their system.
'The legal limit is very, very low so if you are someone who smokes cannabis weekly, regularly, you are permanently over the limit.'
Sentencing Washington, JP Olga Randall told her: 'The fine would have been £180 because you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
'You are working towards getting off any form of drugs.
'Hopefully by the time you start driving again you'll be back on track.'
According to the NHS 'very few' people in England are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis.
It is only likely to be prescribed for children and adults with rare and severe forms of epilepsy, adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy and people with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis.
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