A Templeton teenager has been handed a driving ban after being caught behind the wheel under the influence of drugs.

Nineteen-year-old Jamie Mark Wright, of Hillside Terrace, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, to plead guilty to a charge of driving a Peugeot 206 with a quantity of cannabis in his system.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that the defendant was stopped by police officers at around 2 am on August 23 on Freemans Way in Haverfordwest due to a moving traffic offence.

“When officers pulled over the vehicle and spoke to the driver, they could smell cannabis coming from inside.

A breath test was taken which was clear and Mr. Wright was asked to provide a blood test, which after analysis came back with a reading of 11 micrograms per litre of cannabis in his system.

Mr. Wright’s solicitor told the court that his client had been at a friend’s flat and had consumed some cannabis much earlier that evening He had only traveled a short distance in his car when he was pulled over for having a noisy exhaust.

The court heard that Mr. Wright’s role as an apprentice mechanic was no in doubt due to the fact that he would lose licence.

Magistrates handed the defendant a 12 month driving disqualification and fined him £150 for the offence.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £32 victim surcharge.