A SWINDON bricklayer whose father was diagnosed with cancer took cocaine and cannabis as a coping strategy, the town’s magistrates heard.

Roy Slack, 22, of Crosswood Road, Park South, appeared before the magistrates charged with driving with a cocaine level of 56 microgrammes per litre of blood, the legal limit is 50mcg.

He was further charged with driving with a cannabis level of 4.8 microgrammes per litre. The legal limit is 2mcg.

Slack admitted both charges.

Prosecutor Nick Barr told the court that on November 5 last year police on routine patrol had seen Slack pulling in to a petrol station in Swindon. A drug swipe revealed the cocaine and cannabis levels to be above the legal maximum for driving.

Mr Barr said Slack had previously been disqualified from driving for a year in April 2015.

Sambreen Arif, defending, said Slack had been out with a group of friends and had been the designated driver. He had, therefore, taken no drugs, nor drunk alcohol, that day.

He admitted, however, that the day before he had taken cocaine and smoked cannabis to excess.

He was given a 36-month driving ban, was fined £120 and ordered to pay court costs of £40 and a victim surcharge of £30.