A MAN who got behind the wheel with a “cocktail of illegal drugs” still in his system has avoided prison.

Kai Byford, 26, was stopped while driving his Nissan Micra along Ipswich Road, Colchester.

It was a routine stop at about 11.40pm but police officers said Byford, of London Road, Stanway, appeared drowsy and vacant, Colchester magistrates heard.

After a positive roadside drug test, Byford was arrested and taken to Colchester Police Station where a blood sample confirmed he had double the legal amount of cocaine in his system – 20mcg.

He was also more than twice the 50mcg legal limit of Benzoylecgonine – a derivative of cocaine – at 132mcg.

The court heard the Burger King restaurant worker had taken the cocaine alongside ketamine the previous day.

Tests revealed 128mcg in his blood of ketamine – five times over the limit of 20mcg – and 2.1mcg of a derivative of cannabis.

He admitted to all four charges.

Ian Allen, prosecuting, said: “He had taken a cocktail of illegal drugs.

"It’s right to say the officers didn’t describe any concerns with his driving, it appears to have been a stop because of the lateness of the hour, and then the suspicion Byford was intoxicated.”

Byford, who was representing himself, has two previous cautions for possession of cannabis and ketamine.

He said: “I regret it. The drugs were from the Saturday before.

"I had none of the drugs on me or any intention of driving or being over the limit but I didn’t realise they would still be that high in my system.”

When asked if he had anything to say regarding being disqualified from driving, he replied: “Being disqualified is pretty inevitable really”.

He added he has already got rid of his car.

The 26-year-old was ordered to pay a £150 fine and £85 in court costs as well as a £30 victim surcharge.

He was banned from driving for 12 months.

Chairman of the bench, Anthony Ealden, said Byford’s early guilty plea and remorse were taken into account but warned him of the severity of drug-driving.

He said: “You realise driving while still having drugs in the blood stream could affect your driving no end, and someone could be killed."

  •  Drug driving limits for illegal drugs have been set to practically zero tolerance levels.
  • However there is a limit to take into account accidental consumption, such as passive smoking of cannabis.