A VAN driver who got behind the wheel while being four times the legal drug limit has been banned from the road.

George Halliday, of Bollinwood Chase, Wilmslow, admitted drug-driving when the case was heard at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on October 2.

The 27-year-old was driving a Ford Transit on Alderley Road in Wilmslow on Friday, May 31, this year, when he was stopped by the police.

A subsequent blood test recorded Halliday had 200µg/L of Benzoylecgonine in his system.

The legal limit for this cocaine breakdown product is 50µg/L.

Halliday also pleaded guilty to having 4.7µg/L of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, an ingredient of cannabis, in his blood.

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

Halliday was disqualified from driving for 36 months. Disqualification is obligatory for drug driving offences, the court heard.

The defendant was also fined £384 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge.

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

Halliday was given permission to pay the £623 court penalty in £50 instalments starting on November 1.