Bridgnorth man banned from the roads for 40 months after drug driving in Telford

A 26-year-old man from Bridgnorth has been handed a lengthy driving ban and ordered to carry out unpaid work after being caught behind the wheel in Telford while under the influence of three different controlled drugs.

Ben Upton, of Paulbrook Road in Bridgnorth, appeared before Telford Magistrates’ Court on 19 March 2026 to face multiple charges following an incident on 10 October 2025. The court heard that Upton was driving a Ford Fiesta on Whitchurch Drive when he was found to have illegal levels of drugs in his system.

Blood tests revealed that Upton had 467 micrograms of Benzoylecgonine per litre of blood, significantly exceeding the specified limit. He also tested over the limit for Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, with a reading of 3.9 micrograms, and Cocaine, with a reading of 32 micrograms. Additionally, Upton was charged with using the vehicle without third-party insurance.

Upton pleaded guilty to all charges, and the court took these pleas into account during sentencing. Magistrates imposed a community order requiring him to complete 80 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 40 months. For the insurance offence, his driving record was endorsed, but no separate financial penalty was issued. Upton was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

The court agreed to a request for these payments to be deducted from his benefits at a rate of £20 per month starting in April.