AN Ellesmere Port man was said to have had a 'cocktail of drugs' in his system when he was stopped for drug-driving.

Merryl Highton, 43, of Princes Road, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, February 22.

He was sentenced to a two-month curfew and banned from driving for 15 months.

Prosecuting, Rob Youds said it was 11.30pm on December 1 when police in Ellesmere Port did a stop-check on Highton, who was in his Seat Altea.

While a breath test was negative, police noted he had watery eyes and large pupils and drug-tested him, which proved positive.

Highton had seven microgrammes of cannabis in his blood per litre, compared to the legal limit of two.

He also had 200 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine, a cocaine derivative, per litre in his blood – four times the legal limit of 50.

Also in his blood was 37 microgrammes per litre of ecstasy, compared to the legal limit of 10.

The court heard it was a 'cocktail of drugs' in his system.

Highton had one previous conviction for a theft offence in 1999.

Defending, Richard Sibeon said Highton, a binman, had been a long-term user of cannabis, but taking cocaine was a rarity and said he had taken that "some weeks before" the day of the offence.

Highton could not explain the presence of the third drug.

Mr Sibeon explained Highton said he was not a regular user of cocaine, especially that since the offence he was now in care of his daughter. The cocaine usage was "past history".

There were no previous driving offences on his record and he regretted the incident.

Magistrates imposed the two-month curfew, where Highton is electronically tagged and must stay at his home address between 8pm-5am.

In addition to the curfew and driving ban, Highton must pay £85 court costs and an £85 victim surcharge.