A LLANIDLOES man has admitted drug driving.

Harry Abbott, 20, of Wellington Terrace, Llanidloes, pleaded guilty when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates Court.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said he was stopped by a police officer on Milford Road in Newtown on August 7.

A roadside swipe was carried out and a test showed Abbott had 5.2 microgrammes of cannabis in his blood, exceeding the legal limit of 2.

He also received a conditional caution for possessing a small amount of cannabis.

Robert Hanratty, defending, said that although Abbott, who works for a construction firm, has used cannabis, this offence occurred due to "passive inhalation".

He said: "Unfortunately he thinks it was a case of passive inhalation of cannabis as his friends were smoking it."

Chair of the magistrates bench Dr Rachel Jones gave Abbott a £300 fine and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

He has also been banned from driving for 12 months.