A DRUG-DRIVER who racially abused another person and failed to pay his taxi fare has been banned from the roads.

Wayne Newman pleaded guilty to three charges when he appeared before magistrates in Kidderminster.

The court heard Newman had been caught behind the wheel of a Honda in Hereford's Eign Street while over the drug limit on October 4.

An evidential blood test revealed he had 4.2 microgrammes of cannabis metabolite delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per litre of blood. The legal limit is two.

The 48-year-old also admitted using racially aggravated threatening or abusive words and behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm, or distress towards another person and making off without paying a £10.70 taxi fare in Hereford on May 1.

Newman, of Whitecross Road, Hereford, was fined a total of £430 and disqualified from driving for 12 months. He must also pay costs of £135, a £34 victim surcharge, and £90.70 in compensation.