AN ISLE of Wight man revealed to be more than 13 times the drug-drive limit was given a hefty driving ban.

Island magistrates were told how Shane David Wareham, of Furrlongs, Newport, only came to the police's attention for not wearing a seatbelt rather than for any lapse in his driving standards.  

Jobless Wareham, 37, admitted drug driving a Vauxhall Corsa along Furrlongs on February 21.

He provided the police with a blood reading of 679 microgrammes for cocaine. Analysis revealed his high reading was for the cocaine derivative, benzoylecgonine (or BZE).

The legal limit is 50 microgrammes.

Ann Smout, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court, said Wareham had no passengers and had fully co-operated with the drug tests.

Wareham's previous record shows an identical offence on January 7 — pre-dating his latest drug-drive offence by less than two months.

Wareham, unrepresented in court, told the bench he lost his job a a result of the offences.

"I was in a bad place with my mental health and I tried to self-medicate," said Wareham.

"I went down the wrong path. But I've been clean since this latest incident and I'm trying to rebuild the bridges I broke."

On top of a three-year driving disqualification, Wareham was ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.