A magistrate says it's "bizarre" he can't jail a Warrnambool motorist caught with a cocktail of drugs in his system while driving to collect his children from school.
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Ashley Dannatt, 41, of Beamish Street, drove a 2002 Holden Commodore to pick up his young children from school on May 17, last year. He was intercepted on Warrnambool's Fitzroy Road at 3.23pm and caught with a cocktail of cannabis and ice in his system.
Then on February 2 he was intercepted driving about 11pm. An oral fluid test revealed he had cannabis in his system. Dannatt told police he was on his way to baby sit children.
He was also convicted of drug driving in January 2018.
Magistrate Franz Holzer said having children in the car should be a good enough reason why Dannatt should not drive while on drugs.
"You put your kids at risk," he said.
"This shows a lack of insight and a preparedness to take a punt and expose other people to risk.
"Curiously I cannot jail you for drug driving even if I was tempted to.
"It is bizarre that parliament does not think the consequences for (drink driving) should be the same for drug (driving)."
Dannatt admitted he had a drug problem and had smoked cannabis about two days before his court hearing.
He was placed on a 12-month community corrections order with conditions he undergo treatment for drugs.
His licence was cancelled for 12 months.
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