A SHEPTON Beauchamp man who was found slumped over his steering wheel and also vomited a white liquid over himself had relapsed back onto drugs after celebrating a win on the horses.

Andrew Pattemore had driven all the way to Yeovil after finding the garage at South Petherton was closed, but when a concerned witness asked if he was alright he turned on the engine and the car rolled backwards.

When police were called to the scene they conducted a drugs swipe test at the roadside which proved positive for cocaine and he was arrested.

However when he was taken to the police station they were unable to take a blood sample due to the state of his veins and he was not charged with drug driving.

They also discovered quantities of cocaine and heroin in his vehicle and then found out he was banned from driving.

Pattemore, 44, of Robins Lane, pleaded guilty to driving an Audi A3 while disqualified and without insurance in Yeovil on March 19.

He also admitted being in possession of 1.2g of cocaine (class A) and trace amounts of heroin (Class A) when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

Prosecutor Suzie Butler said that a female witness was in Woodland Grove in Yeovil at 8am when she saw a white Audi in the street and the driver was slumped over the steering wheel.

She knocked on the driver’s window and saw the male did not look very well and appeared to be wobbly and kept slumping forward.

“The defendant gestured that he was ok and slumped back over the steering wheel and when she asked if he was alright again she got no response,” she said.

“Pattemore then started the engine and it rolled backwards so he put the brake on and drove forwards but the witness was concerned he was going to drive off so told him to stop.

“He responded and turned the engine off and the witness called the police who arrived at the scene and approached the car.

“The driver appeared dazed and confused and had vomited white liquid on himself and his car seat.”

He said he had driven to Yeovil because the garage in South Petherton had closed and when asked if he had taken any drugs he said he had taken four or five Diazepam tablets.

A breath test was negative however a drug swipe test proved positive for cocaine and when the defendant was searched they found a small packet in his wallet with three rocks of crack cocaine and three rocks of heroin.

Pattemore was taken to Keynsham police station but a blood sample was not able to be obtained due to his veins and further checks revealed he was a disqualified driver.

He admitted the drugs belonged to him saying he bought them from an unknown person in a car park and had paid £80 for them as it was cheaper to buy in bulk.

“He said he had been clean from drugs for several months but after a day at the Cheltenham Festival he used the money he won to buy drugs as a celebration,” added Miss Butler.

Probation officer Joe Harper said that on the day of the offence Pattemore was having trouble sleeping so took some anti-depressant medication and wanted to buy some cigarettes.

He went to South Petherton garage but it was closed so decided to drive to Yeovil but began to feel very tired and groggy so pulled the car over and went to sleep.

“He was awoken by the person knocking on his window and was aware the police had attended but now deeply regrets his actions,” he said.

“He is ashamed of his actions and that he made such a stupid decision to drive.”

Pattemore said his drug use was “recreational” and he believed he could control it, however Mr Harper said he felt it would be an ongoing issue for him

Defending solicitor Sam Morton said that Pattemore was within three weeks of the expiry of his disqualification but would now have to pay the consequences.

“He feels very ashamed of his behaviour and was prescribed the medication to help with pain and to help him sleep,” he said.

“He knows he is in line for a further disqualification but wants to get back driving legally again.”

The magistrates sentenced the defendant to a 12 month community order with a 10 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a six month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement.

They also banned him from driving for six months and fined him £240 with £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.