An Isle of Wight man has been labelled 'foolish' and banned from driving after a police drone chase ended in a drug wipe revealing him as over the legal limit for cannabis.
Ziggy Lloyd, 21, of Orchardleigh Road in Shanklin, appeared at the IW Magistrates Court on Friday, March 20.
He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, drug driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.
Prosecuting, Serena Edwards told the court the offences took place on August 5, 2025, when police officers saw two males wearing balaclavas riding Surron e-bikes on Station Road.
They cut across the road, court heard, and travelled down Newport Cycle Path, across Fairlee Road and towards Island Harbour.
A drone was deployed by police which the two men appeared unaware of, and identified both of them riding in Seaclose Park, where children were in the vicinity.
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Lloyd was stopped by officers and a drug wipe showed he had cannabis in his system, with the reading showing 2.7 micrograms of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) when the legal limit is 2.0.
Defending, Jim Osborne told magistrates Lloyd 'deeply regrets' his behaviour and suffers from Asperger syndrome, and puts his decision to drive off down to his condition.
Mr Osborne told the court Lloyd acted on impulse and uses cannabis to help him sleep.
Magistrates handed Lloyd a fine of £140 with a surcharge of £66, costs of £85 and disqualified him from driving for 14 months.
The presiding magistrate told Lloyd his offending was 'foolish', especially given the police's drone technology.
