Worksop driver found hallucinating in his car at Blyth Services on Boxing Day

Patrick Carl told police officers “things were crawling all over him,” and that he was “stupid and knew he shouldn't have come out in the car,” said Becky Allsop, prosecuting.

The officers' body-cam showed Carl writhing in the driver's seat and rubbing his arms as he spoke to them.

“It’s only just dawned on me, I'm off me head,” he said. “I went to hospital. I had done something. My head had swollen up. It's ironic.”

A blood test revealed 332 microgrammes of amphetamine when the legal limit to drive is 250 microgrammes.

Police also found more than 18 grams of amphetamine in his car.

The court heard he has six points on his licence for using a mobile phone while driving in 2024.

Carl, who represented himself, said he was "obviously in a bad place" at the time following a hospital visit.

“I have come off the drugs,” he told magistrates. “I have not touched owt since Boxing Day. All I can remember is sitting in the car park. I didn’t have a clue how I got there.

“I needed sectioning for my own safety. I was hallucinating. Things are much better now. I wish I had seen common sense before that. I was asking for help.”

Carl, who is a carer for members of his family, said he has suffered with significant health and mental health issues.

The 56-year-old, of King Street, Hodthorpe, Worksop, admitted driving while unfit through drugs and possession of a class B drug when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on April 22.

“There could have been quite a horrendous accident if you had been driving,” the presiding magistrate told him on Tuesday. “It is unacceptable in this day and age.”

Carl received a 12-month community order with ten rehabilitation days and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.