Banned!stokesentinel Administrator16:00, 10 May 2026Ian Watkins, aged 33, admitted two charges of drug-driving.Here are the latest cases from the region’s courts:FENTON: Drug-driver Ian Watkins has been banned from the roads for three years. The 33-year-old was seen driving in circles around Victoria Road and neighbouring Fenton streets in the early hours of November 5.Prosecutor Christopher Redmond told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: “The defendant did this four times. Officers indicated for the vehicle to stop. He pulled over. He exited the vehicle. Police noticed he appeared to be under the influence. He tried to run off. The officers had to stop him from running into incoming traffic. He was taken to hospital.”Watkins tested positive for cocaine and BZE, with readings of 148 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood, against the legal limit of 10 and over 800 micrograms of BZE per litre of blood against the legal limit of 50.Watkins, of Manor Street, Fenton, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving.The court heard he has a previous conviction for drug-driving in 2023.Mark Harrison, mitigating, said: “He was looking for somewhere. He could not find it. He accepts he was over the limit. It was a miscalculation. He lost his job as a result of this matter. He has taken steps to resolve any issues he may have had with drugs in the past.”Magistrates fined Watkins £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.Magistrate Chris Rushton said: “Fortunately it was in the early hours of the morning or the outcome could have been catastrophic.”SILVERDALE: Drink-driver Steven Robinson has been banned from the roads for 12 months. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard the 34-year-old was stopped driving in Barry Avenue, Werrington, for an unrelated matter on January 11.Prosecutor Charlotte Morgan said: “He smelt of alcohol so he was taken to custody where he provided two specimens. The lowest was 40 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35.”Robinson, of Daleview Drive, Silverdale, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.Lee Yates, mitigating, said Robinson was just over the limit.Mr Yates said: “He had consumed alcohol the previous evening when he had been out with his then partner and friends. He accepts by the time he went home he was intoxicated. They had fallen out. He went to stay with his mum and she stayed at her address. He was awoken by a photo of all his belongings from her address being thrown in the street, in the rain. He decided to go and collect those items so they were not damaged. He thought he was fit enough to drive.”Mr Yates added that the relationship had now ended.Magistrates fined Robinson £333 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £133 surcharge. His ban will be reduced by three months if he completes a drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course.KNUTTON: Teenager Aaron Beesley-Evans took police on a chase when more than twice the legal drink-drive limit. The 18-year-old was the driver of a van which police saw overtaking another vehicle on Porthill Bank at midnight on April 11.Prosecutor Charlotte Morgan told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: “Police tried to stop the van. The defendant was the driver. He failed to stop for the police. He went through two red lights at speed including 50mph in a 30mph built-up residential area. Eventually he stopped in a dead end and got out. He was located in somebody’s extension. He provided a positive roadside breath test and was taken to custody. He provided a sample of breath which gave a reading of 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35.”Beesley-Evans, of Knutton Lane, Knutton, pleaded guilty to drink-driving; failing to stop when required; driving without due care and attention; and driving without a licence.Lee Yates, mitigating, said the defendant was with a friend who needed a lift. He caved in to peer pressure and took his mum’s vehicle.Mr Yates added: “He is an 18-year-old with significant development difficulties and he panicked as soon as he saw the blue lights. It was just in a blind panic, nothing more sinister than that.”Magistrates banned Beesley-Evans from driving for 22 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.NEWCASTLE: Banned driver Nethru Gallage crashed into a parked car – on his way home from collecting an Indian takeaway. The 23-year-old hit the vehicle in Tavistock Place, Basford, at 8pm on February 17.Prosecutor Charlotte Morgan said: “Police were called to a road traffic collision. The defendant had collided with a parked vehicle. He was disqualified from driving until July 14 this year. He pulled over and waited for the police to attend. He provided negative roadside breath tests and drug samples.”Gallage, of London Road, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. The court heard he was banned as a ‘totter’ for six months on January 15 this year.Mark Harrison, mitigating, said: “He was encouraged to go and get some food. Foolishly he agreed to do so. He co-operated with the police.”Magistrates sentenced Gallage to a 12-month community order with 100 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge. He was banned from driving for 15 months.SMALLTHORNE: Drug-driver Robert Alcock has been banned from the roads for 16 months. Police stopped the 50-year-old in Newcastle Street, Burslem, at 9.45pm on November 28 after receiving a report that he might be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Prosecutor Charlotte Morgan told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: “He provided a breath test and a drugs swipe. He was arrested and taken to custody. He completed the breath test procedure and blew under. He provided a sample of blood which contained 4.4 micrograms of THC, the cannabis breakdown, in a litre of blood, against the legal limit of 2.”Alcock, of Nellan Crescent, Smallthorne, pleaded guilty to drug-driving.Mark Harrison, mitigating, said: “It was a miscalculation on his part.”Magistrates fined Alcock £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search
Five bad drivers banned from North Staffordshire’s roads
