Bethany Evans from Runcorn, Cheshire claimed she had resorted to smoking cannabis to help her sleep because she was ‘juggling’ looking after three young children
A mum who was pulled over by police after they smelled cannabis as they drove by had one of her three children in the car at the time.
Bethany Evans claimed she had resorted to smoking cannabis to help her sleep because she was ‘juggling’ looking after three young children. The 28-year-old said she used cannabis to deal with sleepless nights as traditional medication didn’t work. She says she has since given up the drug, claiming it failed to help her sleep as it made her feel ‘anxious and paranoid’.
Warrington magistrates court heard she was arrested after the incident on March 9 and later tested positive for THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. The court heard she was parked up in Runcorn when the marked police car drove by.
Prosecutor Diana Przemecka said: “Officers were driving along the road and noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the defendant’s vehicle. Subsequently, they approached the defendant’s vehicle parked at the side of the road and the smell of cannabis becomes stronger. There is also a child present in the vehicle.
“Due to the smell of cannabis, police search the vehicle and locate a small snapbag of cannabis. She was asked to participate in a roadside drug wipe and she complied with the request. That indicated positive for cannabis.
“Subsequently, the defendant was cautioned and arrested and transported to custody where the full evidential drug-drive procedure commenced. Again, the defendant compiled with the request and provided a sample of blood, which has been analyzed. There are no previous convictions on the defendant’s record.”
Her solicitor, Clare Roach, said: ”She maintains that when police stopped her the cannabis was emanating from a nearby address, but unfortunately for the defendant she too had cannabis in her system and cannabis on her person, in the vehicle. The reason it was in the vehicle was that she would not allow it in the house where the children were. It was kept in the vehicle where she knew where it was.
“She is a mum of three and she has been diagnosed with ADHD herself and was provided with some medication for difficulty sleeping. She says it did not work. She has three children, all younger than 10, one with ADHD, one with a learning difficulty and there are concerns about the eldest one as well.
“She is trying to work while trying to juggle looking after her children and finances, and cannot seem to get to sleep. She resorted to self-medicating with cannabis. She only tried it, not on the evening she was arrested, but two days prior to that point.
“The cannabis in her vehicle was that leftover from the substance she did use. But it did not offer her any reassurance for sleeping. It was a pointless exercise. Instead it left her feeling anxious and paranoid. She was not comfortable.
“It is a one-off. You can see that cannabis is not something which she smokes on a regular basis. She won’t be doing it again.”
Evans admitted drug-driving and possession of cannabis and was fined £120, ordered to pay £133 in court costs and banned from driving for 12 months.
