A DRUG driver from Kidderminster who drove after taking two different drugs was called "a bit dim" by magistrates.

Leon Millman, who is self-employed running his family's business, will now lose his job after he admitted two charges of drug driving at Worcester Magistrates' Court on Thursday (September 10).

The second time he was caught, he had metabolites of both cocaine and cannabis in his system – although his solicitor argued that his driving was not impaired and that the cocaine metabolite had no impact on a person's driving.

The 20-year-old, of St John’s Avenue, Kidderminster, was stopped on the A449 at Ombersley on January 6 this year and found to have 5.4mg of cannabis metabolite Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in his blood - more than two and a half times the limit of 2mg.

He was stopped again on February 9 in Wolverley Road, Kidderminster, this time with two drugs in his system.

A test revealed 4.8mg of the cannabis metabolite and 247mg of benzoylecgonine (BZE), the cocaine metabolite which is close to five times the limit of 50mg.

Mark Hambling, prosecuting, said the defendant was a man of good character with no previous convictions.

He said: “You’re looking at two occasions here and on one occasion there were two different kinds of drug.”

Mr Hambling said there were no other aggravating features.

A probation officer who interviewed Millman said he presented as "open and honest in regard to what appears to definitely be a life lesson for him at the age if 20".

She said: “He’s mortified and struggled with the situation and the court proceedings in themselves have been very trying for him.”

Millman told her he had cocaine and a cannabis spliff at New Year, driving a day or two afterwards but had no issues with drugs and that it was a one-off.

He is self-employed, working for a gardening and fencing business while his dad cares for his mum, she told the court.

“He will lose his licence and therefore he needs to look for alternative work and dad isn’t best pleased,” she said.

Gary Harper, defending, said: “It’s a very interesting fact that BZE doesn’t have any effect on your driving. The level of impairment seems to be zero.”

Mr Harper handed up references on his client’s behalf.

He reminded magistrates there was no course for drug driving in the way there was for excess alcohol – if completed, the drink drive course reduces the length of any ban.

He said Millman had been "calm and compliant" with police.

“He has kept the business afloat single handed,” said Mr Harper, quoting the defendant’s mum.

Brent Robinson, the chairman of the bench, said: “You’re a bit dim if you don’t mind me saying so.

"It has been well known for a number of years that driving and drugs don’t mix.”

He said he would have thought, after the first time he was caught, Millman would have learned his lesson but "one month later you’re back in the same boat again".

Magistrates fined him £120 for each offence and ordered him to pay £135 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

Millman was also banned from driving for 12 months.