A DRIVER seen by police 'speeding' towards Barrow was found with cocaine in his system, a court heard.

Nicholas Shepherd was followed by police after being seen driving at high speed towards the town by an officer going in the other direction, a court heard.

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to drug driving when he appeared before South Cumbria Magistrates' Court.

The court heard he tested positive for BZE, a breakdown product of cocaine, on July 9.

Prosecutor George Shelley said: "PC Taylor was on mobile patrol. At around 2.25am he was on the A590 going towards Dalton when he saw a Volkswagen Golf being driven at high speed towards Barrow.

"The officer caught up with the Golf on Hartington Street.

"When he was speaking to the defendant he noticed his pupils were not responding to light and his skin was pale and clammy.

"He provided a positive test for cocaine.

"He was arrested and conveyed to the police station."

He had 600 micrograms of the drug in a litre of blood, over the legal threshold of 50.

The defendant was convicted of drug supply offences in 2011 and given three points on his licence for speeding in 2020, the court was told.

In mitigation, Karen Templeton said: "Mr Shepherd fully cooperated with the police. He stopped when he asked and has done everything he possibly can.

"He absolutely disputes that he was speeding. He's been fully cooperative.

"He had been out the night before just over 24 hours earlier and taken some cocaine but says he doesn't take it regularly.

"He didn't realise it was still in his system."

Shepherd, of Byron Street in Ulverston, was banned from driving for a year and fined £120.