A TEENAGER cried in the dock as he admitted to being almost four times over the drug driving limit.

Aiden Millin, 19, of Abbey View Road, Moredon, feared the conviction could put his apprenticeship at risk.

Appearing before Swindon magistrates, Millin pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while over the limit for benzoylecgonine, the substance produced when the body processes cocaine.

Remorseful Millin, who chose to represent himself rather than use the duty solicitor, became tearful as he spoke in his defence: “I’m going to lose my job. I work out at Cirencester. This is going to have such a big effect on the rest of my life.”

He said he had been out drinking with friends the previous night and thought the alcohol and drugs would have passed out of his system when he got behind the wheel 11 hours later.

Prosecuting, Pauline Lambert said Millin had been driving along the B4534 Westfield Way when he was stopped by police at around 2.20pm. “He’s stopped because he’s using what they have called a space saver tyre on the near rear side. The officer says he intends to give words of advice.

“The officer is greeted by a strong scent, which he recognises as cannabis.”

Roadside tests showed traces of cannabis in Millin’s system. Blood tests taken after Millin was arrested showed a reading of 192 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre of blood. The limit is 50 microgrammes. Millin’s blood sample also showed traces of cocaine and cannabis.

Millin was not interviewed by police, Ms Lambert said. However, she told magistrates the fact that there were three other young people in the car should act as an aggravating factor when magistrates came to sentencing him.

Speaking in his own defence, Millin said: “I went to the pub the night before, had a few drinks, had a bit of coke.”

He said he had left it 11 hours between leaving the pub and getting behind the wheel: “I went to bed at 3.30am and probably had my last spliff at about 2am. I genuinely thought it wouldn’t be in my system.”

Appearing in the dock dressed smartly in a dark suit, Millin added: “I’m not the type of person to go out drink driving or drug driving. I tried to make rules with myself the second I passed my test.” He said he had promised his dad he would not drink drive.

“Ever since the event happened I’ve cut down on drinking. It’s really opened my eyes to it a lot,” he said.

Magistrates banned him from driving for 28 months, handing him a 12 month community order requiring him to do 100 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Natalie O’Connell, chairman of the bench, said: “Hopefully this is the first and the last time we see you in this courtroom.”