A Ballarat driver has admitted he used the drug ice so he could drive to Queensland and back without falling asleep.
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Leyton Harding failed a drug test on July 18 and again on July 21 when police stopped him driving during his interstate road trip.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Steve Kent told the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday Harding failed the first oral fluid test on July 18 when he was intercepted on Victoria’s Goulburn Valley Highway.
He said Harding told police he had not used ice but marijuana.
Three days later on July 21, police stopped Harding driving in Ballarat’s Sturt Street where he failed another oral fluid test.
This time he told police he had used ice a few days earlier in Queensland.
Leading Senior Constable Kent said an analysis of Harding’s two oral fluid samples contained methamphetamine.
Representing himself in court, Harding said he decided to drive to Queensland and back without sleeping, so he took some ice.
The single father of two said he was not aware the drug would still be in his system when he arrived in Ballarat on July 18.
Harding said he worked full-time in Wendouree and not having a driver’s licence, which was cancelled in October, had been a struggle.
Magistrate Letizia Torres told Harding he made a very poor decision to take the drug ice to stay awake behind the wheel.
She said he really needed to stop and have a sleep while driving to Queensland and back.
Harding was convicted and fined $500. His licence was cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for 12 months from October 10.
The charge, failing a roadside oral fluid test, carries a mandatory loss of licence of six months and doubles to 12 months for a second offence.
Harding pleaded guilty to two counts of failing an oral fluid test and one count of driving at night with ineffective headlights.
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