A DRUG driver who overturned his car and hid from police under a caravan has been given a three year ban, Welshpool Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday.

Joshua Duffield, 26, of Long Meadow, Abermule, admitted the offence of being over the drug drive limit for the main metabolite of cocaine whilst driving on the B4385. He had 424mcg/L in his blood, the limit being 50mcg/L; making him over eight times the drug drive limit.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, said that at 3am on August 11, 2019, a car was found overturned in the middle of the road and that blood could be seen inside.

Police officers then conducted an area search and the defendant was found under an unoccupied caravan in the middle of a field, the court heard.

Robert Hanratty, defending for Duffield, said: “I think the situation was that the defendant was very tired.”

Mr Hanratty said that he had tried to reach for something and next thing the vehicle had tipped over.

He said that what Duffield was tested for is a derivative of cocaine, which he “very honestly” said he had taken the previous evening.

Mr Hanratty said that as Duffield has previous convictions, the minimum driving ban he could receive was three years. “There’s nothing we can do”, Mr Hanratty said.

Chair of the bench, Stephen Pembroke, said that he considered giving Duffield a community order “particularly because you crashed in the car and the fact that you left the scene".

Probation officer Julian Davies said that Duffield had taken cocaine at 7pm the evening of the offence. He was unable to sleep so decided to drive to his friend’s house for company, the court heard.

Mr Davies said he “didn’t know what to do” and “panicked” when police officers arrived, so decided to hide in the caravan.

Duffield was disqualified from driving for three years and given a community order with 100 hours of community service.

He was also told to pay £85 in court costs and a £90 victim surcharge.