BLURTED CONFESSION Driver, 21, passed roadside drug test before she told cops she had taken popular party substance
Officers were about to send Kenningley on her way when she blurted out that she was on ketamine
A FEMALE driver passed a police roadside drug test and was about to be sent on her way - before blurting out that she had taken a party substance.
Abbie Kenningley, 21, was ordered to take the test after cops saw her driving "erratically" at 1am on December 3 last year.
The test came back negative for drugs - after a separate initial test for alcohol also came back clean - even though Kenningley was "dazed" and "unsteady on her feet".
Officers were about to let Kenningley go, when a suspicious constable asked what she had been doing that night.
She replied: "Ketamine."
Kenningley was then arrested and taken back to a police station - where another test showed she was almost five times over the limit.
The dog-grooming business owner, from Southport in Merseyside, now faces a road ban after admitting drug driving.
Alex Farrow, prosecuting, told Sefton JPs: "'Officers had pulled up at a red traffic light.
"Next to them they could see the defendant alone in a car. She appeared dazed.
"She pulled in front of the police car upon which they then monitored her standard of driving."She appeared to find it difficult to keep in lane and was swaying from side to side."
Cops then pulled Kenningley over and became more suspicious when she "parked at an angle on the road", the court was told.
Farrow added: "She was unsteady on her feet.
"She appeared lethargic, dazed and confused. It was noted that her eyes were glazed over."
'GLAZED EYES'
In mitigation, defence solicitor Marcella Salter said: "She would not be before the courts but for her own admissions.
"That night the defendant pulled over at an angle as she thought that the police car was trying to get past her.
"'She did not appreciate that the officers were trying to stop her.
"She spoke to the officers who believed that she is unsteady on her feet.
"They asked her for a roadside breath test for alcohol which came back negative.
"Then they spotted the glazed eyes and coupled with the manner of her driving they then ask for a drug wipe sample.
"She provided a roadside drug wipe - but that too comes back as negative.
"The officers then spoke to the defendant, who is 21 years old, who has never been stopped by the police before.
"She has no previous convictions, no involvement with police until the night in question.
"Obviously, there was no alcohol in her system, the drug wipe was clear, it was negative."
Salter added: "The officers then asked the defendant 'What have you been doing?'
"Through her own admission, she said she had been to a friend's and used ketamine.
"As soon as she said that she was placed under caution and taken to a police station."
Kenningley was then asked to provide a sample of blood to be sent off for a more detailed and accurate lab test - which came back positive.
She had 96 micrograms of ketamine per 100 millitres of blood - more than four times the limit for driving.
Magistrates adjourned the case for a Newton hearing - to determine the facts and basis of sentence - at Liverpool in July.
How do roadside drug tests work?
IF police think you might be on drugs while driving, it's possible they will stop you for a roadside screening test or a field impairment test.
It is a series of different kinds of tests to determine whether you have any drugs in your system.
For example, you could be asked to walk a straight line or use a roadside drug kit.
These roadside kits can detect cannabis and cocaine in your system but if cops think you have taken other drugs such as ecstasy, LSD, ketamine and heroin they will arrest you and you'll be taken to a police station for a blood or urine test.
You could still be arrested if you pass the roadside check test if police think your driving is impaired by drugs.
If you test positive for drugs you could be charged with a crime.
Another possibility is to get instant roadside bans as police chiefs have proposed taking licences away from those clearly over the limit before any court hearing
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