A tattooed motorist told police ‘I can’t do needles’ when requested to give blood for drug testing.

Joshua Wiggins lost his job, car and home after refusing to provide a sample of saliva at the roadside, or blood at the police station, when arrested for drug possession and motoring offences on April 3.

The 22-year-old’s BMW showed up as being uninsured, and driven without a licence, when police spotted the vehicle parked near the entrance to Kings Warren Business Park, in Red Lodge.

An officer noticed a strong smell of cannabis upon approaching the driver, who produced a small quantity of the class B drug from the side pocket when questioned.

Wiggins, of no fixed address, came clean about smoking cannabis that morning, but refused to answer any more questions or give personal details.

When more cannabis was found in the rear footwell, the officer produced a drug wipe kit, to which Wiggins reacted: “You’re not going near me with that. Don’t even bother opening the packet.”

Suffolk Magistrates’ Court heard how one refusal led to another at the police station, where Wiggins told the registered nurse: “I know I have tattoos, but I can’t do needles”, when asked to provide a blood sample.

Prosecutor Tess Mann said: “This was a deliberate refusal with no medical explanation.”

Solicitor Michael Whatley said Wiggins had been spending his lunch break in the car while working in Red Lodge, adding: “He cannot explain why he was so obstructive, but accepts he was.

“He realises he had lost his licence and was being foolish.

“He has lost his job as a result, and will probably have to move in with his mother.

“He was made homeless about 18 months ago, and had been living in his car and sofa surfing, but recently found a rented room through an agency. Because of this, he is again homeless.

“He was upset at being stopped because, he says, there was a mix-up with the motoring offence court, and that he only realised he had no licence when stopped.”

Wiggins was banned from driving for 18 months and handed a 12-month community order, with 200 hours of unpaid work, for failing to provide a specimen or cooperate with a preliminary test.

He was fined £100, and his licence endorsed, for driving with no insurance. No separate penalties were imposed for drug possession or driving otherwise in accordance with a licence.