DS 17 got arrested last night

[SareWall]

DS 17 was riding around on his motorcycle last night with a friend on the back. They had smoked some weed. A police car was behind them and the friend put his hands over the number plate and he tried to out run the police car.

They eventually got hemmed in and stopped. The friend ran away and my son was arrested and spent the night in the cells. He has been drug tested which will come back positive, he has been told he will face a driving ban for 3 years. He has also been told if he tests positive for drugs (he knows he will), he may go to prison for a year.

I’ve cut my holiday short to come home but I just don’t know how to respond to this. Is there anyone else who has been in a similar situation?

Driving under the influence of drugs with someone else on the back....I'm sorry OP, and I'm sorry you're upset, but if he is sanctioned he deserves it.

'outrunning the police car' that was never going to end well.

I'm not sure why Pps are being so sympathetic, if it was alcohol and a car they'd be up in arms.

You’re lucky that he’s still alive; running from the police on a motorbike while under the influence of drugs is a recipe for maiming or death.

Has he passed his test, does he have insurance and is it his bike? If no to any of these it could be additional offences.

How’s a seventeen year-old able to afford a motorbike and drugs? If he was using it for a delivery job then that’ll now be over.

Well he's been an idiot and hopefully will learn from it.

Get him good representation.

But I doubt he'll go to prison. Unless it's on celebs that avoid it for drug driving repeatedly.

It was stupid and dangerous but I think they are putting the frighteners on him. I’ve known a few young people given the hard word from the police to deter them from breaking the law.

Did he have an appropriate adult with him?

Good im glad hes been stopped and that he'll lose his license, and if he tries to get insurance again it will go through the roof.

Im sick to death of people flying round on scooters/mopeds like its all a big joke.

He should be thankfull that he hasnt killed anyone.

I agree. As I say, if it was a car and alcohol I'm not sure people would be as cool.

He needs legal representation and fast because prosecution is NOT the worst thing that can happen to him in the circumstances outlined. One of the reasons that rich kids slide through such events and poorer, unprepared ones don't.

You respond to this by allowing the law to take place and accept the punishment given. I doubt very much he’ll go to jail. At the very most a suspended sentence but most likely a fine abd a snack on the wrist. I would implore you not to pay the fine for him. This is a valuable life lesson in growing up and accepting the consequences of your actions.

Let the law do its job and hope that he grows up soon. If I was his mum, I’d be pleased he lost his licence as I’d be frightened he’d kill someone or himself if he continued to drive when he’s too immature. Losing his licence is a blessing for idiots like this. As for prison, I doubt it’ll happen. I bet you’re more stressed than he is. Don’t be.

No appropriate adult if 17

Sadly yes I have been. Firstly go with your son as quickly as possible to see a solicitor specialising in motoring offences and take advice. Pick one you know rather than from a simple list. Our solicitor was very good. Do not allow your son to be interviewed without a solicitor present. On drink or drug charges I am afraid he will have little defence and the main job of the solicitor will be to mitigate the impact of the charges. He, like my son, has made some serious mistakes and he will now need to sort this out. Hopefully this is a one off.

Taking him off the road for 3 years while he matured and grew up a bit, and learned how hard it could be to not have a car at your beck and call. Had he not been banned there is a fair chance he would have ended up injuring or killing either himself or someone else.

This. This whole situation could have been way way worse. He could have easily killed someone. This will give him a short, sharp shock and a period of reflection. He's made a mistake but he can learn from it. It does not have to define his life from this point onward...

@Nishky32 at 17 he WOULD need an AA. The law changed on that a few years ago. However, the drug/drive process doesn't have to be delayed to wait for them to arrive.

The limit for delta9tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis) is 2 microgrammes per litre of blood.
His blood sample will be analysed to provide the exact number of microgrammes per litre of blood, which could well be higher than 2

@Titsflyingsouth

It does not have to define his life from this point onward...

It can if he accepts a caution.

@BurscoughBooths you sound like you written that more than once!

Just to add he needs to plead guilty to be eligible for a referral order which I imagine he is very likely to do?

Took about 10 attempts to read it!

OP you need to take advice from people here who actually know what they're talking about.

Most of us doubt he'll go to prison but I work in education and not law enforcement or judiciary.

Not strictly true. There's two offences, driving while unfit through drugs or driving whilst over the limit. With THC, the substance in cannabis that makes people high, the limit is 2 micrograms per litre of blood. But you can be unfit with any amount.

I watched two idiots swerve in and out of traffic on motorbikes the other week without a care in the world, I assume theyd been drinking if not weed.

What happens when they kill someone or someone kills them?

I imaigne you're in shock OP but i dont think PPs of "oh well" are helping.

Yes I’ve been in a similar situation. DS (19) found guilty of drink driving on his moped. Our kids can make awful decisions. I’m glad mine was banned for a year. Fortunately he didn’t cause injury to anyone: he was simply pulled over by police.
DS has paid for his own solicitor (unfortunately he had previously used one for an unrelated charge).
Prepare yourself mentally for court if you decide to attend. I felt so traumatised by it all. DS knows this and the anguish he’s caused.
Wishing all the best you .

On a motorbike? Why?

I think people are being sympathetic because it's OP's thread, and OP hasn't done anything wrong. Those of us who have had our kids in trouble of one kind or another know how awful it feels, how powerless and scared you are, and angry, and embarrassed. OP's son didn't start the thread, there's no point making sanctimonious comments aimed at him!

I'm not being sanctimonious, at all. and I don't think she's done anything wrong.
It's hardly "sanctimonious". He drove his motorbike, on drugs, and ran from the police. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone IRL who thinks thats normal.

There's a thread running where the OP's 11 year old son stole money from a place in the house and spent it on sweets, and has been labelled a psychopath more than once

MN is an odd place.

Once he is out of the cells i hope you come down on him like a tonne of bricks. Are you happy for him to have drugs on your property ?