A DRIVER found more than seven times over the drug drive limit has been disqualified for a year.

Thomas Gunner, of Doe Copse Way in New Milton, had taken cocaine the night before he was pulled over by police in Bournemouth on August 5, the court heard.

However, he was found to have 73 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood when he was tested. The limit is 10.

Gunner, 23, also had 782 micrograms of benzoylecgonine, a primary metabolite of cocaine, per litre of blood. The limit is 50.

He appeared at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court last Friday, September 30, where he admitted a single charge of driving his Ford KA in Bath Road while under the influence of drugs.

Prosecuting, Lee Turner said police officers stopped the KA at around 2.45pm.

"An officer goes to speak to the defendant having stopped him," Mr Turner said.

"The defendant says, 'I used cocaine the night before'."

Robert Renshaw, mitigating, said Gunner lost his job after charges were brought.

The defendant is receiving treatment from a recovery centre in Ringwood, and has not relapsed into drug use since the offence, the court heard.

Magistrates ordered Gunner to pay a £200 fine, costs of £45 and a victim surcharge of £30.

He was also disqualified from driving a car for a year.