A MOTORIST from Wrexham who was caught driving under the influence of cocaine has been banned from the road for 18 months.

Jake Harvey was stopped by police who followed him in an unmarked car down Brook Street, Wrexham, in the early hours of September 18.

A roadside test proved positive for the class A drug and a blood test reading at the station showed he had consumed 79mg of cocaine per litre of blood when the legal limit is 10.

The test also showed he had 800mcg of a cocaine metabolate called benzoylecgonine when the legal limit is 50.

Harvey, 25, of Bridewell Court, admitted drug-driving, driving without insurance and without a licence when he appeared before North East Wales Magistrates Court at Mold.

Emma Simoes, defending, said Harvey was heavily reliant on taking cocaine and had mental heath issues because of a harmful experience he suffered when he was a child.

“He suffers from PTSD and is medicated, but he finds it difficult to accept situations and because of his learning difficulties he feels outside of things,” said Ms Simoes.

“He realises the harmful effects of drugs and he has attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings three times and is undergoing counselling which has done wonders for him.

"He has been clean from drugs for three months.”

As well as the driving ban Harvey was fined £120 and told to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.