A MAN who got behind the wheel whilst being almost four times the legal drug limit has been banned from the road.

Richard Taylor, of Cranford Square, Knutsford, admitted drug-driving when the case was heard at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on July 2.

The 39-year-old was driving a white Vauxhall Combo on Chelford Road in Chelford on February 23, this year, when he was stopped by the police.

A subsequent blood test recorded Taylor had no less than 7.9ugL of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, an ingredient of cannabis, in his system.

The limit for this breakdown product is 2ug/L.

Taylor was disqualified from driving for 17 months.

Disqualification is obligatory for drug driving offences, the court heard.

The defendant was also given a community order and ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

An order for costs of £85 to be paid to the Crown Prosecution Service was made, as well as for a £114 victim surcharge.

Magistrates took his guilty plea into consideration when imposing the sentence.

The defendant was granted permission to pay the £199 court penalty in £35 monthly instalments starting on August 8.