Peterborough City Hospital senior therapy assistant convicted of drug-driving in Market Deeping

An NHS worker from Deeping St James has been convicted of drug-driving.

Lauren Edwards was stopped by police in Market Deeping while driving home from Tallington, magistrates in Boston heard on Wednesday.

“She said she had been at a friend’s house and had smoked cannabis,” said prosecutor Marie Stace.

The 29-year-old, who is a senior therapy assistant at Peterborough City Hospital, was arrested after giving a positive drug wipe.

In custody, she gave a reading of 7.7 micrograms of a cannabis derivative per litre of blood, the legal limit being two.

Edwards, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to drug-driving on October 20 last year.

“At the time, she was suffering with depression and did use cannabis,” said Roger Lowther, mitigating.

He added that it remains to be seen whether she keeps her job.

Edwards told the court in a statement that she was “completely ashamed” by her actions, saying: “It was a stupid mistake – one that I do understand was a particularly dangerous stupid mistake."

She was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £276 and ordered to pay £110 victim surcharge and £85 costs.