Last updated 09:08, Monday, 20 October 2008

Two Cumbrian truckers have lost their licences after admitting getting stoned on cannabis at weekends before a week of driving 44-tonne lorries.

Michael Murphy, left, and Edward Sanderson

Edward Sanderson, of Moorland View, Keld, and his godfather Michael Murphy, of Grangefield, Bampton Grange, appeared before the north west traffic commissioner, Beverley Bell, in Kendal.

Sanderson, 23, grew cannabis at his dad Duncan’s Shap haulage depot with Murphy because they said it was too expensive and dangerous to buy it from dealers.

The E P Sanderson & Son yard was raided by police in November last year when 95 plants were found growing in a shipping container.

The haulage business owned by Duncan Sanderson, will be wound up in November after Duncan Sanderson’s licence to operate was revoked at yesterday’s hearing at Kendal Magistrates Court.

He used to help water the plants and ‘turned a blind eye’ to his drivers smoking the drug at weekends, Mrs Bell heard.

She also disqualified him from driving HGVs from next month until December 2009.

Sanderson Jnr said he started smoking cannabis when he was 11 and up until November last year, smoked up to three ounces at the weekends.

He said: “I don’t drive around the country under the influence of cannabis or anything else, I never have. I don’t see that there would be any impact from me smoking cannabis during my time off.”

At a crown court hearing earlier this year, all three men admitted cultivating cannabis and possessing the drug with intent to supply.

Sanderson Snr told Mrs Bell that he knew about his son’s smoking habits but did not think he drove while under the influence.

Both Murphy, a father of three, and Sanderson said they gave up smoking the drug after the raid.

Murphy, 41, said: “I used cannabis to relieve the stress. I will struggle to get another job without my licence.”

Mrs Bell revoked Murphy and Sanderson’s HGV licences. They will have to reapply for them after the DVLA has conducted medical tests to see if they are fit to drive.

After the hearing she said: “I think this serves as a reminder to operators to be on the look-out for drinking and drug abuse by their drivers and to take appropriate action.”