A 28-year-old man who was caught driving a Mercedes with excess cannabis in his system in an Essex city has been banned from the roads and fined.

Peter Cable, of Winton Close in Felixstowe, appeared before Colchester Magistrates' Court charged with drug driving and possession of cannabis.

The charges were in relation to an incident on November 18 last year in Stock Road in Chelmsford where police pulled over a Mercedes.

Appearing before magistrates, Cable pleaded guilty to both offences.

For the drug driving charge, Cable was handed a driving ban of 12 months and fined £281. He was also instructed to pay costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service and a surcharge of £112.

For the possession of cannabis charge, there was no separate penalty - but the drug was forfeited and destroyed Section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Cable's guilty pleas were taken into account by magistrates when deciding on his sentence, a court listing said.