A MOTORIST who’d been smoking cannabis was stopped after the loud exhaust on his car brought him to the attention of police.

Robert James Richard Hill, from Llandrindod Wells, was observed driving a Skoda Fabia by police officers in the car park of Burger King in Newtown on the evening of July 6. They approached him after a loud noise emitting from his car aroused suspicion.

After talking to the 22-year-old and deducing that he might be under the influence of drugs, a drug wipe was ordered and proved positive, showing the defendant was driving with more than three times the legal amount of cannabis in his system.

Hill pleaded guilty to one charge of drug driving when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, August 23.

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Prosecutor Helen Tench said: “Officers could hear a loud noise coming from the vehicle which drew their attention. PC Jones spoke to the defendant and noticed he seemed to have jaundiced skin and glazed eyes when he was speaking to him.

“A roadside drug test was positive and he was arrested. He has no previous convictions.”

At the police station, Hill provided a reading of 7.7 micrograms of cannabis in his blood – the legal limit is 2 micrograms.

Hill, of Trefonen Avenue, Llandrindod, represented himself at the hearing. He told magistrates: “I have nothing really to say. It was my mistake. I have no excuse and I can only say sorry."

He informed the bench that he has just started a new job and is awaiting his first pay cheque.

Magistrates banned him from driving for a year and ordered him to pay a £300 fine. In addition, he must also pay a £120 surcharge and £85 costs.