A MAGISTRATE warned that technology has caught up with recreational substance users after a student and a customer advisor for LV= were among those brought before the courts for drug driving last week.

On Friday morning, three people appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court and admitted getting behind the wheel with drugs in their system.

Ryan Haywood, of Spruce Close in Poole, had 3.4 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol - the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis - and 132 micrograms of MDMA per litre of blood when he was stopped in Creekmoor Lane on January 29. The legal limits are two and 10 respectively.

The 20-year-old, who was driving a Renault Clio, was stopped by police who believed he may have been speeding.

He was not charged with any offences related to his driving.

Terrence Scanlan, mitigating, said Haywood has no previous convictions.

"He is a student at Winchester University," Mr Scanlan said.

"He is in his first year studying sports science. He commutes and works part-time for Coral."

Haywood was stopped on a Sunday evening. He had last smoked cannabis on the Saturday, and had taken MDMA on the Friday evening, Mr Scanlan said.

"By Sunday evening, he assumed he was safe to drive," the solicitor added.

Haywood was fined £50 for each offence and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Michael Kusters, of Back Lane in Bradford Abbas, Sherborne, was stopped while driving his BMW along Ringwood Road in Poole on January 22.

He had nine micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per litre of blood and a quantity of cannabis was found in the car.

Mitigating, Brendan Allen said the 38-year-old had not planned to drive.

"He received a phone call from a friend in crisis, who was very distressed and upset, and offered to drive to the friend to help out," Mr Allen said.

"He had smoked cannabis earlier that day. He didn't feel impaired at all."

Kusters has suffered from "very, very significant" medical problems and has been out of work as a result, the court heard.

"He is out in the sticks," Mr Allen said.

"He is now in a position where he can start to look for work but is not going to be able to find work.

"He hasn't got the means to be able to get to a job."

Kusters was fined £50 and will pay a £30 victim surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Gregory Rowe had to give up his job for LV= after being caught driving a Vauxhall Corsa in Barrack Road, Christchurch with 6.2 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per litre of blood.

The 20-year-old, of Cross Way in Christchurch, is on benefits after leaving work as it is "no longer viable" for him to get to the office.

Mr Scanlan, mitigating, said Rowe has no previous convictions.

"He had been consuming cannabis and very much regrets it," the solicitor said.

"He has given up his use of cannabis. He's learned a great deal."

Rowe was fined £50 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Magistrate Glen O'Hara said he hoped defendants had learned a "salutary lesson".

"Driving under the influence can have untoward consequences," he said.

"The government has a zero tolerance approach."

He told Haywood that even a few years ago drug swipe tests didn't exist.

"Now, you're not going to get away with this type of thing," he added.