A drug-driver was 'very nervous' and 'speaking gibberish' when he was pulled over by police.

Officers stopped a Ford Kuga driven by Jed Penrice on Middlegate in Great Clifton at 10.30am on March 23, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the driver was 'very nervous', 'spoke very fast' and was 'speaking gibberish'.

Officers suspected he was under the influence of drugs and a roadside drugs wipe was positive for cocaine.

Tests showed he had not less than 179mcg of Benzoylecgonine - a breakdown product of cocaine – pet litre of blood. The legal limit is 50ug/L.

John Cooper, defending, said: “There’s nothing about the standard of driving. He didn’t know he was going to be over the limit. It was three days before that he had last taken cocaine.”

Penrice, 32, of Napier Street, Workington, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.

He was banned from driving for 24 months, fined £600 and must pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.