'Rush-hour bus driver was high on cannabis'

The driver of a London double-decker was high on cannabis, a court heard today.

An inspector who boarded the bus at 8.50am in Marble Arch said the smell of cannabis permeated the bottom deck of the Number 30 and the driver had a "fixed stare".

Sarfraz Khan, 28, was stopped in November 2009 after the revenue inspector randomly boarded to check tickets. Khan denies driving while unfit through drugs and blamed the fact that he failed a roadside drugs test because he was "freezing".

Prosecutor Taira Kauser told City of Westminster magistrates' court: "Inspector Matthews, a revenue inspector, could smell cannabis when he entered the bus. He then stopped the bus and called the police. The police could smell cannabis in the bus. Mr Khan failed a test and was taken to a police station Blood was taken and it tested positive for cannabis."

Khan, of Stratford, is alleged to have failed four out of five roadside tests including a "walk and turn" test and a "balancing" one.

The case continues.

Update (5 Dec 2011): On February 9 Mr Khan was found guilty of driving while unfit and was given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to undertake 100 hours' community work. However, he subsequently launched an appeal, which was allowed, and his conviction was quashed on July 29.