Burnley engineer (21) caught drug-driving put his career at risk for a 'silly idea' court told

Greg Thomas was found to have eight times the specified limit of ketamine and also had ecstasy in his blood after police went to investigate after they saw the 21-year-old engineer drive on the kerb for several feet.

Mrs Alex Mann, prosecuting, told Burnley magistrates: "They found four lads in the vehicle.

"All appeared to have some sort of involvement in drugs.”

Mrs Mann told the court the car was driven on the kerb for between three and five feet and there appeared to be no apparent reason for the driving error.

Mr Daniel Frazer, defending, told the court: " Mr Thomas is a foolish man and I can’t put it any plainer than that.”

The court heard that the defendant's mother had gone on holiday a couple of days before he took drugs for the first time and she was 'remarkably disappointed' in him.

The solicitor continued: "He was with some friends a lot more mature in the drugs culture.

"He thought it was a good idea at the time. He has had nothing since this incident."

Mr Frazer said Thomas was employed by PMP Utilities and earned £21,000-a-year, but workers were not allowed to go on site if they had had involvement with drugs.

The solicitor continued: "He had a career path. He had everything going for him. He knows his future in that company is perilous and probably at an end because of a silly idea.”

Mr Frazer said the defendant, who had no previous convictions, was fearful of what would happen to him at court, adding: " His words to me were that this has been a lesson to him and he is never going to take drugs again.

"This conviction will have ramifications beyond today.”

Thomas, of Waddington Avenue, Burnley, admitted two counts of driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit - one relating to ketamine and the other to MDMA -on Accrington Road, Burnley, on July 11th last year.

He was fined £366, with £85 costs and a £36 victim surcharge and was banned for a year.

The chairman of the Bench told him: " It’s obviously a growing problem and you have made a very poor choice.”