Jade Goody’s widower, Jack Tweed, has been banned from the roads after admitting to driving with levels of cannabis above the legal limit, a magistrates’ court in Chelmsford heard on Monday.
Arrest on Three Mile Hill led to court appearance
The 39-year-old, of Buckhurst Hill, was stopped by police while driving a Volkswagen Golf on Three Mile Hill, near Chelmsford, on 6 December last year. Officers carried out a roadside drug swipe after suspecting that cannabis might be present in the vehicle and that the driver could be under the influence.
Tweed failed the preliminary test and a blood sample taken at a police station recorded 5.6 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per litre of blood, more than double the legal limit of 2 micrograms. He entered a guilty plea at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court to one charge of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.
"I'm not making excuses, I've been through some trauma in my life, other stuff that led to me having depression and anxiety,"
In mitigation, Tweed told the court that he had been using cannabis to help him sleep and that he had begun to find non-drug methods to manage his anxiety. He said he now works as an electrician and that his income varies.
Sentence and criminal history
Magistrates imposed a fine of £692, a victim surcharge of £277 and costs of £85. Tweed was also disqualified from driving; the length of the ban was determined in court.
The hearing heard that Tweed has previous convictions: seven convictions for 14 offences dating back to 2007. The court record and the police account established the basic chronology and the nature of the offence.
- Stop and arrest: Three Mile Hill, near Chelmsford, 6 December (police stop and failed roadside test)
- Blood result: 5.6 micrograms THC per litre (legal limit 2 micrograms)
- Court outcome: guilty plea, fine, surcharge, costs and driving disqualification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Jack Tweed, 39, of Buckhurst Hill |
| Offence | Driving with a specified controlled drug above the specified limit |
| Date of arrest | 6 December (previous year) |
| Blood THC level | 5.6 micrograms per litre |
| Penalties | Fine £692; surcharge £277; costs £85; driving disqualification |
The matter underlines ongoing enforcement efforts by Essex Police using roadside drug screening followed by evidential blood tests, a process intended to deter drug-driving and improve safety on county roads. The court's record also highlights the role of magistrates in balancing mitigation, previous offending and public protection when passing sentence.
Drivers in Essex should note that UK drug-driving limits are low and that a failed roadside swipe can lead to arrest, a blood test and criminal proceedings. Police continue to stress that using drugs and driving endangers others as well as the driver, and that penalties can include fines, costs and loss of licence.
Further updates on the enforcement campaign and any appeals would be published by the court or police as appropriate.
