A drug driver who was five times the cannabis limit has been banned from the roads.

Michael Jones, aged 33, pleaded guilty to drug driving a Vauxhall Insignia in Welshpool on March 21.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court was told that police found Jones looking jaundiced and sweating, and noticed he had a purple cannabis grinder in the car.

Jones told the officer that he had a "nervous disposition" and was a cannabis user.

A blood sample revealed Jones, of Oldford Rise, Welshpool, had 10 micrograms of of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, a metabolite of cannabis, when the legal limit is two micrograms.

County Times:

The prosecutor said PCs Wilkinson and Cook, who were dealing at the time with a collision near the Castle Caereinion junction on the A458, stopped Jones "due to his manner of driving" and followed him to the Quarry Garage in Brook Street.

Robert Hanratty, mitigating, told the court that there was a "big issue" about the police's remarks about Jones' manner of driving adding it was "very unfair".

He said Jones was driving to Welshpool when he pulled up and tried to squeeze past the vehicle slowly while it was being recovered.

Mr Hanratty told the magistrates: "The reason the police officer gave him was that is was an intelligence-led stop. There is a pretty significant difference in opinion on that part of the matter. It's very unfair.

County Times:

"You can’t just say it was the manner of driving without saying what.

"There were no symptoms of being under the influence. I don’t know where this jaundice business comes from.

"There’s no evidence of impairment.

"It was a relatively short journey."

Magistrates imposed a 12-month driving ban and fined Jones £120. He was ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

Chair of the magistrates' bench Cynthia McVey said: "We have noted that erratic driving was mentioned but it was insufficiently described what that was."