A LEARNER driver was caught drug-driving in Hereford, a court has heard.

Craig Dabinett admitted the offence when he appeared before Hereford Magistrates Court on October 14.

Magistrates heard police had spotted the 44-year-old driving a Volkswagen Transporter on Hereford's Belmont Road just before 10pm on April 30.

Officers stopped Dabinett, who is a learner driver and was not displaying L plates. He was arrested after failing a roadside drug test, prosecutor Ralph Robyns Landricombe said.

An evidential blood test in custody revealed Dabinett had 279 microgrammes of cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine per litre of blood. The legal limit is 50.

George Cousins, for Dabinett, said he was on his way to a night shift with his partner, who is a qualified driver, in the passenger seat, and that there did not seem to have been any issue with his driving.

"He had taken cocaine a couple of days before and thought he would be ok to drive," Mr Cousins said.

Dabinett, of Dinedore, Herefordshire, was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £305. He must also pay costs of £85 and a £34 victim surcharge.