A MAN tested positive for cocaine after crashing his car near Mold, a court heard.

Wesley Hughes was spotted by an off-duty police officer veering from side to side in his Audi before colliding with another Audi on Platt Lane, Penyffordd.

After a drugs swipe proved positive Hughes was searched and officers found a white powder in his sock.

Blood tests at the station showed he had consumed a level of Benzoylecgonine - a metabolite of cocaine – of 222 mcg per litre when the legal limit is 50.

A separate test for cocaine showed he had consumed a level of 30 mcg per litre when the legal limit is 10, Flintshire Magistrates Court was told.

Hughes also produced a positive breath test on the roadside, although later analysis showed the reading was below the prosecution level.

Hughes, 30, of Mountain Close, Hope, admitted possession of cocaine and two counts of drug driving as well as two other offences.

He admitted driving without due care and attention as well as failing to stop after an road accident, with all the offences committed on June 2.

Nick Cross, defending, told the Mold court Hughes, who admitted taking the cocaine 24 hours earlier, lost concentration going around a bend.

“He is extremely remorseful. He has a bright future as he has a good job at Airbus,” said Mr Cross

District Judge Gwyn Jones said he hoped his employers would not look unfavourably at his drugs conviction.

He ordered Hughes to complete 165 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community sentence and banned him from driving for three-and-a-half years.