Woman ‘got brother arrested by giving him cocaine’ after row at uncle's funeral
A woman got her brother arrested by giving him cocaine after a row at their uncle's funeral, a court heard.
David Pridmore, 42, was stopped by police officers in Clacton, Essex, after they were told he was transporting “large quantities” of class A drugs by his sister, Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard.
It was revealed that Pridmore had 0.2 grams of cocaine in his possession and 68 micrograms per litre of cocaine in his blood, with the legal limit being 10 micrograms.
The court heard Pridmore’s sister had conspired against him in October 2020 after tensions between them boiled over at their uncle’s funeral.
Lucy Osborn, mitigating, said: “She simply wanted to get him in trouble. She advised the police there were large quantities of class A drugs in his vehicle.
“They found that wasn’t the case but he did have a small amount of cocaine in his pocket. It was given to him by his sister but he has to take responsibility.”
The court also heard that Pridmore was been stopped in his car on 2 February, 2021.
He was stopped at a petrol station on his way home from his sisters, after the police were told he had been “allegedly snorting cocaine while driving”.
He had been at his sister’s to help her move house.
He was found to be more than 30 times over the legal cocaine limit, having 328 micrograms per litre of the drug in his blood, as well as an excess amount of cannabis.
Pridmore, of Seaton Junction, Devon, admitted to three counts of drug driving, possession of cocaine and driving without a licence and insurance.
On 23 December, he was handed a 14-week suspended sentence, banned from driving for five years and ordered to undertake 200-hours of unpaid work.
The prosecutor, Samah Abdulla, said: “He tells me he is an individual who relies on alcohol and drugs when things get tough in life.”
District Judge Christopher Williams added: “When you have a limited ability to concentrate it is going to increase the risk of accidents happening.
“Given you have taken some strides to limit alcohol and drug reliance, I will conclude there is a reasonable prospect of rehabilitation."
