Man jailed for drug-driving despite never passing test

A man who never passed his driving test has been jailed for 30 weeks after being caught drug-driving at nearly five times the legal limit in Caerphilly.

Newport Crown Court heard witnesses saw Neo Maguire “struggling to stand up” as he staggered towards his Ford Ka in Trethomas on 16th November. Within minutes, police located Maguire – who was driving “erratically” – and he turned into a dead-end road.

Maguire tried to flee on foot, leaving his passenger in the car, but was tackled to the ground by an officer. Blood tests revealed he had 240 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre of blood – nearly five times the 50µg/L limit.

Weeks later on 12th January, police found Maguire asleep in a car with the engine running on Nantgarw Road. When he eventually woke up, he was slurring his words and couldn’t get out of the car. He refused a drugs test, telling officers: “I don’t care. I’m f***** anyway.”

The 24-year-old from Keble Court, Graig-Y-Rhacca, pleaded guilty to multiple offences including driving whilst disqualified, drug-driving, and driving without insurance. He had three previous convictions including dangerous driving in 2021 and 2024.

His defence lawyer Alice Sykes said: “He’s pragmatic about his position. His relatively young life has been blighted by alcoholism.”

Judge Carl Harrison told Maguire: “Within only five months of that sentence, you committed more driving offences.”