A man who celebrated his 24th birthday by dabbling in illicit drugs has been banned from driving after being caught under their influence.

Thomas Allison, of Cairn Crescent, Corby Hill, was pulled over by the police as he drove his Vauxhall Astra along the A69 on February 7.

When police searched the car, they found a wrap of cocaine and a cannabis grinder. Officers conducted a roadside test for the presence of drugs in Allison’s body and found he was over the limit for both cannabis and cocaine.

The defendant pleaded guilty to driving while having more than the prescribed limit for both cannabis and cocaine in his body, as well as possessing cannabis and cocaine.

Margaret Payne, for Allison, said: “He’s a young man who doesn’t smoke or indulge in alcohol but on the night of his birthday he did indulge in some drugs, but he does not have any sort of addiction or regular habit.

“He certainly didn’t feel impaired.”

A part-time worker at his father’s plant nursery, eight miles from his home, Allison passed his driving test a year ago.

Deputy District Judge Rod Ross told the defendant that he had chosen a stupid way in which to celebrate his birthday, involving himself in the dangerous habit of drug taking.

He said: “Because you had a lot of drugs in your body at that time, that could have made you very dangerous as a driver.”

Allison was banned from driving for two years, fined £100 for the drug driving offence, and £100 for the drugs possession offences, with £85 costs, and a £20 victim surcharge.

The judge added: “It was an expensive birthday.”