A KILWINNING dad who was caught more than double the 'drug driving' limit has been banned from driving and hit in the pocket.

Blair Lawson was caught driving under the influence on Mill Glen Road in Ardrossan on December 23, 2021. 

The 27-year-old gave a 'drug wipe' sample with a reading of 108 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine - the major metabolite of cocaine - per litre of blood in his system.

The safe driving limit in Scotland is 50 microgrammes.

The father-of-one pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Wednesday, May 3.

The procurator fiscal depute told the court how Lawson came to be pulled over by police officers who were in the area of Ardrossan carrying out door-to-door enquiries in relation to another matter.

They were walking along a footpath when accused’s vehicle drove past, and they picked up a strong smell of cannabis.

They proceeded to signal Lawson's car to stop - and could smell cannabis from within the vehicle when he done so.

Officers then carried out a drugs wipe test which came back positive not for cannabis but for cocaine.

Lawson's solicitor told the court her client had taken cocaine the previous evening while he was out - but that between 15 and 24 hours had passed between his taking the drug and his being stopped by police.

At this time, she said, Lawson did not think the drug was having any effect on him, and "felt he was fit to drive".

The lawyer added that Lawson's position was supported by the fact police had not stopped him out of concern for the manner of his driving - and said he had been "out of trouble" since the date of the offence.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Nicola Patrick disqualified Lawson from driving until August 2024 and fined him £640, ordering him to pay up at a rate of £200 per month.