A Maldon man who tried to make extra cash was caught driving without a licence by police.
Rael Martin, 31, was stopped on November 9 last year in South Woodham Ferrers driving a VW Golf, despite not having a full driver’s licence.
George Dixon, prosecuting, told Colchester Magistrates’ Court on May 28 Martin was stopped by police officers for not displaying L plates on the vehicle he was driving, which was also not insured.
Mr Dixon said officers smelled cannabis when they stopped him, and he handed a small quantity of the drug to them when they asked him about it.
Kristina Smith, mitigating, said Martin, of Whitley Place, had admitted to two counts of driving a vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the limit, possession of cannabis, driving without insurance and without a licence.
She said: “He explained to me that the time this offence was committed, he was desperate for money.
“He explained to me that, unfortunately, the decision he made was not a correct one.
“He wanted to scrap the car and get money from the parts. He made the choice to drive from the yard to his home and strip it down.
“He did not think about the consequences.”
She said his explanation did not excuse his actions, but he was remorseful.
In relation to the drugs, she told the court Martin had issues with his mental health and was suffering from anxiety, depression, borderline OCD and ADHD.
Mrs Smith said he resorted to the use of cannabis as he felt it was the only thing helping to manage his conditions.
She said Martin had struggled to take on other mental health support opportunities and was “self medicating”.
Martin was ordered to complete 12 mental health sessions, up to 20 rehabilitation activity days and was fined £149.
The drugs will be destroyed and Martin was banned from driving for 18 months.
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