A cannabis user who wrongly thought the drug was out of his system has been told that he is not allowed to drive for 12 months after he was caught behind the wheel while under the influence.

Oscar David George Williams, aged 24, was stopped near his home in Falcon Court by Police Constable Bufton after the officer spotted that the Vauxhall Corsa was driving a "little bit quick" coming out of a turning.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard that the officer noted Williams had glazed eyes, a pale complexion and smelt of cannabis.

Williams was handed a 12-month driving ban and ordered to pay a total of £197 after he pleaded guilty to the charge of drug driving when he appeared in court on January 30.

The Newtown man admitted he was over the legal limit for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a metabolite of cannabis, when he was caught on September 1 last year.

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Williams, who did not have previous convictions but had received drug-related cautions, provided a reading of 3.6 micrograms after a blood sample was taken – the legal limit is just 2 micrograms.

Robert Hanratty, mitigating for Williams, said: "It’s a fact that the defendant smoked a small quantity of cannabis. He didn’t think it was still in system.

"He believes it was a speculative stop because he had a couple of cautions for cannabis. The officer was doing a bit of a clean-up job of people doing cannabis and Oscar is one of those."

Magistrates decided to fine him £80 and ordered him to pay a £32 victim surcharge and £86 court costs.