A 28 YEAR old Skipton man has been banned from driving for 16 months after admitting four counts of drugs-driving.

Liam Jacques was arrested twice by police within two weeks, heard Skipton Magistrates Court.

On March 19, officers saw Jacques reversing his Renault Clio out of a layby at Heights Lane, Draughton and after smelling cannabis carried out a roadside test.

It proved positive and Jacques was taken to the police station for a blood sample that later showed he had traces of both cannabis and cocaine in his system.

He had 2.1 microgrammes of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis) in one litre of blood, the legal limit is two, and 32 microgrammes of cocaine in one litre of blood, the legal limit is ten. He also had 200 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine (a by product of cocaine) in one litre of blood, the legal limit is 50.

Then, on March 27, he was stopped as he drove along The Bailey, Skipton after police noticed an issue with his brake lights.

A roadside test for drugs was positive and he was taken to the police station for a blood sample that later showed he had 195 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine in a litre of blood, the legal limit is 50.

Jacques, of no fixed abode, and with no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to all four charges.

In mitigation, John Mewies, said there had been no indication of poor driving both times and on the first occasion it had been a random check by police.

Mr Mewies said his client was a private individual with health problems and used cannabis to relieve his symptoms.

"This is a classic case of someone not being aware of the lasting effects of cannabis and cocaine on the body," he said.

Jacques was given a 16 month ban for each offence, to run at the same time, and fined £120. He will also have to pay costs of £85 and surcharge of £30.