A BANNED drug-driver was caught behind the wheel on a busy main road in Hereford, a court has heard.

Craig Stephen Colcombe entered a guilty plea when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford on November 20.

The court heard the 29-year-old had been caught driving a Mercedes Vito van while disqualified from driving and without insurance on the A465 Belmont Road in Hereford on April 25, where he also wilfully obstructed a police officer acting in the course of his duties.

An evidential blood test revealed he was driving while over the drug limit, with 14 microgrammes of cocaine and more than 800 microgrammes of cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine per litre of blood. The respective legal limits are 10 and 50.

Magistrates said the offence was serious as Colcombe was not only driving while under the influence of drugs but also while subject to a disqualification for a like offence.

Colcombe, of Gosmore Road, Clehonger, received a four month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and must undertake a thinking skills programme.

He was disqualified from driving for four years and must pay costs of £135 and a £128 victim surcharge.