A BARROW motorist has been banned from driving for more than three years.

Chase Lee Ballantyne was stopped by police while driving a red Citroen on Michaelson Road Bridge in the evening of August 31 of last year.

The 35-year-old was stopped after a Police National Computer search revealed the vehicle had no insurance.

At South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court prosecutor Pamela Fee said: “Police saw the vehicle travelling along Ramsden Dock Road at 10.30pm.

“Officers conducted a PNC check which showed there was no insurance so they approached the vehicle and stopped it in Michaelson Road.

“The defendant was the driver. He was asked to produce insurance documents and the defendant admitted the insurance had run out.

“Officers conducted a drugs wipe test as they suspected him of being under the influence and he admits he has smoked cannabis.

“The drugs wipe tested positive for cocaine and a further test, following blood tests, confirmed the presence of cannabis.”

The court heard Ballantyne had 93 previous offences on his record but his solicitor, Mike Graham, said he has recently turned away from a life of criminality.

“This happened when he was going through a particularly difficult time in his life,” the solicitor said.

“The levels of drugs in his system are relatively low and not very much above the limit.

“He stopped when police asked him to and there was no suggestion he was driving recklessly or dangerously.

“He has not answered back and has accepted his wrong-doing.

“During that week his relationship with his partner of nine years was breaking down and he sought solace in drugs and alcohol.

“Since then he has made efforts; he looks after their three-year-old child four nights a week as his ex partner is working.

“For a period of five years before, this is a defendant who has a very real history but has changed his criminal lifestyle and this was a blip but he has maintained his character since that time.

“He has showed clear remorse and accepts responsibility.”

Ballantyne pleaded guilty to driving with levels of cannabis and cocaine over the limit and also admitted driving without insurance.

The court heard he had 94 microgrammes of a cocaine metabolite in his blood.

The legal limit is 50.

He also had 4.4 microgrammes of a cannabis metabolite in his system.

The legal limit is 2.

Ballantyne was disqualified from driving for 40 months.

District Judge Gerald Chalk added: “The DVLA will probably need medical evidence before they consider whether or not to give you back your driving licence.”

Ballantyne was also given a 10-week curfew between the hours of 8pm and 6am and was ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £90 victim surcharge.