A painter and decorator was caught driving under the influence of cannabis after police spotted him not indicating into a Newtown car park.

Jamie Nathan Jones, aged 27, from Llanidloes, has been disqualified for 12 months after he admitted driving with more than the legal amount of cannabis in his blood system when he appeared at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, December 12.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson said police were on mobile patrol on August 16 when they noticed a silver Peugeot 207 in New Church Street which then didn't indicate in Back Lane car park.

An officer spoke to Jones, who admitted being a cannabis user, and noticed that he was looking pale. Jones was arrested and taken to Newtown Police Station after a roadside drug test was positive for the Class B drug.

A blood test found that Jones, who the court heard was of good character with no previous convictions, had 3.3 micrograms of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, a metabolite of cannabis. The legal limit is 2mcgms.

County Times:

Robert Hanratty, acting for Jones, told the court that the police had no issue with his driving.

"He was very co-operative and polite with police," Mr Hanratty said.

"How bizarre that people [who are caught drug driving] don't get the benefit of reducing a ban even though there were no road safety issues involved. It's a bit of a travesty."

Jones must complete the full driving ban because there are no drug-related courses to reduce the length of the disqualification like there is with drink driving offences.

The magistrates decided to fine Jones, of Tan y Bryn, Llanidloes, £400, which was reduced from £600 for his early guilty plea; a £160 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.