A SIXTEEN-month driving ban has been handed to a Low Harker man after he admitted a drug driving offence.

Jonathan Reynolds, 37, committed the offence as he drove a Ford Transit van on the A689 at Brampton on October 8 last year, Carlisle’s Rickergate court heard.

At the time, he had 393mcg of the cocaine breakdown product benzoylecgonine in every litre of blood, according to a police test. The legal limit for driving is 50mcg.

As well as imposing the ban, District Judge John Temperley fined the defendant £400 and imposed prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £40.

The guilty plea entered by the defendant, who lives on the road leading from Ghyllwood, Low Harker, was taken into account.