Mum caught driving while EIGHT TIMES the drug limit as daughter, 4, sat in back without seatbelt

Lela Snape tested positive for having cocaine in her system, a court heard

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Lela Snape pictured outside Crewe Magistrates’ Court(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) LTD)

A mum was caught behind the wheel of her car while almost eight times the drug-driving limit with her four-year-old daughter in the back.

Lela Snape was caught drug-driving twice in just 48 hours, a court heard. The first time officers stopped her Renault Clio in Sandbach, she tested positive for cocaine at almost eight times the legal driving limit.

Police found Snape’s little girl in the back without a booster seat and with no safety belt on. The 28-year-old was released pending further enquiries, but just two days later, the same officer caught her again after she went to collect her car, Crewe Magistrates’ Court heard.

Tests were carried out and Snape was again found to have cocaine in her system. When questioned, the mum, from Macclesfield, said the offences were a ‘mistake’.

She claimed she had been taking cocaine as she felt ‘isolated’. Louise Dempster, prosecuting, told the court: “On September 23 of this year, around 6.40pm, PC Price stopped the defendant driving a Renault Clio on Congleton Road, Sandbach.

“It had just been sighted in the Congleton area and the reason the car was stopped as the occupants were suspected of being involved in an unrelated matter not before the court today. There were two adult males in the car with a four-year-old child who was not secured in a child seat or wearing a seat belt.

“A roadside test was positive for cocaine. The defendant was arrested and taken to East Cheshire custody facility for the drug drive procedure.

“Two days later, on September 25, PC Price caused the defendant in the same vehicle to stop on Electra Way, Crewe. The vehicle was said to have a maker due to having no MOT.

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Snape was handed a fine in court(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) LTD)

“That was the reason it was stopped. A roadside drug wipe resulted in a positive indication for cocaine.

“She was therefore arrested and conveyed to custody for the drug drive procedure. The defendant has no previous convictions but the first offence was aggravated due to passengers being carried, one of those being a child.”

Blood tests showed Snape had 397 micrograms of benzoylecgonine (BZE), the breakdown product of cocaine, in her system on the first occasion and 423mg on the second. The legal limit is 50mg.

Her lawyer Stuart Flood said: “This is a young lady who acknowledges she made a serious error of judgement, particularly as there was a child in the car. She had been struggling with drugs but this has been a big wake up call and since this incident she has stopped.

“She had been taking friends to their home address in Crewe when she was pulled over by police. She had taken drugs a few days before and they were still in her system but there was no suggestion of bad driving.

“The concern is the child without a seat belt while she was driving the vehicle. She then compounded that when she came back to Crewe to pick up the car.

“In between she had some drugs and that is why there were drugs in her system. She is very embarrassed and very ashamed about the whole situation. It is clear that she has already learned from her mistake and she wants to move on.

“That is perhaps why she has temporarily moved in with mum for a bit of support there. Perhaps she felt that she had been a bit isolated before bringing up the child on her own.

“She had on occasions felt a bit down and that is perhaps why drugs were used. An error has been made, she knows that.

“There have been some mistakes made and the fact that she has recognised that and done something about it herself is a step in the right direction.”

Snape, of Portland Walk, Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to two offences of drug driving and one offence of driving with a child in the rear not wearing a seatbelt and not having a booster seat. She was fined £240.