A DRUG driver has been disqualified after he was caught at more than double the limit on the A82.

Kieran Hamill-Chatterton, of Westfield, Dumbarton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to driving the motor vehicle whilst under the influence of 124 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine (cocaine) per litre of blood on the A82 near Bowling on December 4 last year.

He also admitted to using the car whilst without a valid insurance policy.

The legal limit for Benzoylecgonine is 50 microgrammes per litre of blood.

Depute fiscal Claire O’Hagan told Dumbarton Sheriff Court on August 3 that at around 3.30am, police were travelling west on Great Western Road towards Dumbarton, where they saw an Audi A3 and had reason to stop it.

Hamill-Chatterton made it clear to officers he was the driver of the vehicle after he was stopped by officers.

Whilst routine checks were carried out it was discovered the 29-year-old didn’t have valid insurance and “was unsure himself on the subject of coverage”.

The court heard a roadside breath test was carried out which tested negative for alcohol, but a drugs wipe tested positive for cocaine.

During the police interview he admitted to taking cocaine earlier in the evening and was later taken to Clydebank police station to carry out further interviews.

Stephen Maguire, defending, said: “He is in full-time employment doing removals in Dumbarton. This happened in the early hours of a Saturday morning. He had been out on the Thursday night and cocaine had been taken in the course of the night into Friday, where he later fell asleep.

“The [social work] report doesn’t say that there were concerns for his driving. He accepts full responsibility for his actions. With the insurance matter he thought his current insurance renews automatically and it hadn’t on this occasion. He took steps to mend that error.

“He understands that this offence will lead to a disqualification.”

Sheriff John Hamilton fined Hamill-Chatterton £300 plus a victim surcharge fee and he was disqualified for 12 months.