Carlisle teen found with cocaine wraps while driving Seat Ibiza

Matthew Mitchinson, 19, appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court after police pulled over a vehicle on June 26. Mitchinson was driving a Seat Ibiza on Brampton Road in Carlisle.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson said it appeared to have been a routine stop with no indication given of any bad driving by the teen.

“He was found to be driving on an expired provisional licence and not to be insured,” said Mrs Jackson.

Police searched Mitchinson, who had five wraps of cocaine in his possession. An officer carried out breath and drug wipe tests, both of which proved negative.

In court, Mitchinson pleaded guilty to possessing the class A drug, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and also having no insurance.

District judge John Temperley heard Mitchinson, of Kingmoor Terrace, Carlisle, had similar offences on his record.

Last December, he was fined and given a three-month driving ban after he admitted the same three charges — plus one of careless driving. These arose out of an incident in the Silloth Street and Newtown Road areas of the city in November 2023.

Mitchinson told the judge a cocaine problem had got worse in recent months. He had tried to address this himself. But he admitted: “I can’t say no.” He added of the cocaine use: “That’s been a problem from the age of 16 years old.”

Judge Temperley paused the case briefly for Mitchinson to speak with a probation officer. “This young man needs some help, it would appear,” he told the officer. “It is the second (similar) offence in a relatively short period of time. Clearly there are issues with decision-making as well.”

After hearing submissions from an officer who spoke with Mitchinson, the judge imposed fines and a six-month driving ban. Mitchinson will receive his sentence for the cocaine possession offence next month following the preparation of a detailed probation service pre-sentence report which will include a treatment assessment.