A NORTHWICH man has been banned from driving for a year after he admitted to being behind the wheel while over the drug drive limit.

Calab Groves, 23, of Rowen Road in Weaverham was stopped by police while driving a Renault Clio on Delamere Close on August 16 last year.

Appearing via videolink at Warrington Magistrates Court on Monday, February 22, Groves pleaded guilty to three other charges, including driving other than in accordance with a license, having no insurance and being found in possession of the class B drug cannabis.

After providing police with a sample of his blood, the proportion of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in it was 7.0 Jg/L, which was three and a half times over the specified limit of 2.0 Jg/L.

Magistrates disqualified Groves from driving for a period of 12 months and fined him £120 for the drug drive offence, £60 for having no insurance and £40 for the possession of cannabis.

There was no separate penalty for driving other than in accordance with a license, and Groves must also pay £85 in prosecution costs and a surcharge of £34.

The bench also made an order for the drugs to be forfeited and destroyed under section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Superintendent Jon Betts, head of Cheshire Constabulary’s Roads and Crime Unit, said: "Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right, and it comes with great responsibility to act within the rules laid down when you pass your test.

"When you deliberately ignore those rules you put yourself and other people at considerable risk.

"Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is one of the five main contributory factors that cause serious road traffic collisions, with the others being driving carelessly, driving too fast, not wearing a seat belt and driving while using a mobile phone. Together, these are known as the Fatal 5.

"We launched our Fatal 5 campaign at the beginning of 2019 to raise awareness of the importance of driving safely, adhering to speed limits and not committing any potentially deadly driving offences.

"The message for motorists is don’t put your life, and the lives of other road users and pedestrians, at risk – slow down, pay attention, wear your seat belt, put your phone down, don’t drink or drug drive and make sure that your vehicle is safe for the roads."