A SOUTHAMPTON man who wanted to take a selfie with his girlfriend on Mount Snowdon during lockdown was “kicked out of Wales”.

Jason Kenneth Evans was stopped by police on London Road near Corwen in the county of Denbighshire, a court heard.

Officers had spotted the 26-year-old of Radcliffe Road driving erratically and going at just 35mph in a 60-mph zone on June 6 last year.

They were “concerned” about how his car was being driven and when they spoke to him about the coronavirus lockdown there was a “strong smell of cannabis”.

 

However, the Ford Grand he was driving, in fact, belonged to his partner who he was with at the time.

It was also revealed he was not insured to drive the vehicle.

Evans and his partner told officers that they wanted to take a selfie on Snowdon.

He gave a positive drug wipe test at the roadside and had initially agreed to provide a blood specimen, a court heard.

However, he later refused giving no medical reasons.

Jason Evans

Jason Evans

The prosecution says that Evans claimed he had been to Amsterdam two weeks before where he had taken drugs.

Appearing before Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday he was charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis and using a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance.

He previously pleaded guilty to both offences.

When spoken to about covid and the lockdown in Wales he is reported to have said: “We have free will and we can do what we want”.

Police presence at the launch of Operation Darwen in Corwen - DJW270317.

Defence solicitor, Sarah Barnard told how her client had spent two days in police cells and then been “kicked out of Wales”.

She mentioned that he has difficulties with mental health issues.

The magistrates’ Chair, Dr Anne Hobbs said the offences were a very serious matter which was aggravated by the fact that he has previous motoring convictions.

Evans is due to appear again next month while a pre-sentence report is prepared.