A PROVISIONAL licence holder stopped by police at Cross Hills had been taking cannabis, heard Skipton Magistrates Court.

Jack Mabbott, 25, was driving a Volkswagen Golf on Skipton Road towards Kildwick on September 2 when he was stopped, the court heard on Friday.

Checks showed Mabbott was the holder of a provisional licence only and was not insured, while a roadside drugs test proved positive for cannabis.

He was arrested and taken to the police station for a blood test which later revealed he had 4.9 microgrammes of the cannabis by-product, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in one litre of blood, the specified limit is two.

Mabbott, of Main Road, Eastburn, who admitted drugs driving and driving otherwise in accordance with a licence, had made the mistake of thinking the drug would no longer be in his system, the court was told.

In mitigation, Keith Blackwell said Mabbott was running someone home at the time as a 'matter of urgency' and was very regretful .

"A lot of people I defend don't realise these drugs while not consumed the same day hang around in the body and come back to haunt you. He won't be making this mistake again," he said.

He was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £230, with costs of £85 and a surcharge of £32.