The Motorway Cops episode in which Staffordshire Police PC Ed Clarke stopped a prescribed medical cannabis patient is no longer available on Channel 5 catch-up.
As of 24 September, the Season 10 list goes from Episode 5 straight to Episode 7. Episode 6 still has a page, but its “Watch Live on Channel 5” button is greyed out and can’t be pressed. The neighbouring episodes remain available.
This is the episode that introduced the patient as a “DRUG USER WHO THINKS THEY’RE ABOVE THE LAW”. On camera, the patient explained that his cannabis was prescribed and offered to show Clarke the evidence. Clarke declined to look at it. When the patient tried to explain the medical defence under section 5A of the Road Traffic Act, Clarke told him his prescription gave him no driving defence. The programme later reported that no further action was taken.
I wrote about the encounter on the night it aired and asked Staffordshire Police and Purple Productions to respond. Purple Productions hasn’t replied. Staffordshire Police’s first response discussed possession and impaired driving but didn’t address the section 5A defence I’d asked about. After I followed up, the force confirmed Clarke’s identity and said it had reviewed the stop because of my enquiry. It hasn’t disclosed what the review found.
I don’t know why Channel 5 has removed Episode 6 from catch-up, when it happened or whether the reporting had anything to do with it. I’m not claiming that my email caused it. What I can see is that Channel 5 is no longer offering this portrayal of a prescribed patient to catch-up viewers. In my view, that’s a small victory.
The episode disappearing doesn’t undo what was broadcast or settle the questions Staffordshire Police left unanswered. I hope the attention the encounter received leads to a better understanding within the force of prescribed cannabis, the medical defence and the difference between detecting THC and finding that somebody was impaired.
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