A MAN who had been taking cocaine to cope with a difficult period in his life has been caught drug-driving.

Steven Ramage, 35, of Turner Street, Hereford was stopped by police in Eign Street on August 5 at 8.35pm.

He was tested and the proportion of cocaine in his blood was 65mg per litre of blood, when the limit is 10mg.

He was also tested for benzoylecgonine, which is a main metabolite of cocaine. He had 712mg per litre of blood, when the legal limit is 50mg.

He pleaded guilty to the two drug-driving charges at Herefordshire Magistrates Court.

Christopher Read, defending, said Ramage is not a man who regularly uses drugs.

He said Ramage had been going through a very difficult time, as his father had died and another member of the family was not well.

He said the defendant had been taking on a lot of responsibility and had taken cocaine but hadn't taken any on the day in question.

Mr Read said: "There is no suggestion he was driving poorly. It was a totally random stop."

He also said it was unusual to have two charges as the BZE is inert.

Magistrates fined Ramage £120 and ordered him to pay £135 costs and a £30 victim surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.