A NORTHWICH woman has been banned from the roads after being caught behind the wheel while three times the drug limit for cocaine.

Joanne Cooke, of Fairfield Road, was stopped by police in Northwich Road, Runcorn, on July 1 earlier this year.

The 53-year-old was subsequently found to have 32 microgrammes of cocaine per litre of blood in her system - over the limit of 10 microgrammes.

She was also found to have more than 200 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine - a cocaine breakdown product - per litre of her blood. The legal limit is 50 microgrammes.

Police also found her in possession of a quantity of cocaine.

Cooke was charged with two counts of drug driving and one of possessing a class A drug.

She appeared at Warrington Magistrates' Court on September 26 where she pleaded guilty to all charges.

Taking her plea into account, magistrates disqualified Cooke from driving for 18 months and ordered her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activity.

She must also undergo non-residential drug rehabilitation.

For the charge of possession, the bench fined Cooke £120 and ordered the drugs be forfeited and destroyed.

Cooke must also pay court costs of £85 and a surcharge of £114.