POLICE who approached Trevor Lord when they saw him pushing his car along Audley Range found his eyes were rolling, his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

The officers could not smell alcohol and when they asked Lord if he had taken anything he admitted taking four temazepam tablets.

Lord, 25, of Shaw Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs but, through his solicitor Brent Patterson, put forward special reasons why he should not be disqualified.

Mr Patterson said that at the time of the offence Lord was "scooting" his car off the main road where it had broken down and had only travelled about 10 metres. He said Lord had sought assistance in two nearby shops but had become stressed and taken the temazepam.

At the time Lord was a drug addict although test showed only a trace of cocaine in his blood, which he said he had taken two days prior to being stopped.

Lord confirmed, on oath, what Mr Patterson had said on his behalf but stipendiary magistrate Jonathon Finestein rejected his evidence.

Mr Finestein said he was being asked to consider non-disqualification because of the shortness of the distance travelled and the drugs taken.

"I do not accept the defendant's evidence," said Mr Finestein. "I find it unreliable and unconvincing. I think he had taken these drugs before the car broke down and I do not find any special reasons.

"This is a young man who was as high as a kite and in the process of driving this vehicle," added Mr Finestein, who adjourned the case until March 3, for the preparation of pre-sentence reports after hearing that Lord had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol.

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