A LLANIDLOES man has been banned from driving for a year after being more than 12 times the drug-drive limit.

James Jenkins, 38, of Long Bridge Street, admitted driving with cocaine in his system.

At Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said that at 8.45pm on May 8, police stopped the defendant’s car. PC Jones spoke to Jenkins who “confirmed he had taken some cocaine that day”, the court heard.

After going back to the police station, blood tests showed that Jenkins had 11mcg/L of cocaine in his blood; the limit being 10. He had 603mcg/L of a metabolite of cocaine in his blood, the limit being 50mcg/L.

Owain Jones, defending, said: “Mr Jenkins, at the time of the offence, had lost pretty much everything that was dear to him in his life.”

Mr Jones said he hoped the court would not see Jenkins again as he was going to get his “life back on track”. The court heard that he hoped to get back “all those things he had lost in recent times”.

Magistrates disqualified Jenkins from driving for 12 months, fined him £120 and told him to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

Chair of the bench Stephen Pembroke said that he was “pleased to hear” that Jenkins had engaged with the drug and alcohol service Kaleidoscope. “It’s good to see you’re making progress. Keep it that way.”