A drug-driver claimed he had been convicted ‘unfairly’ as he was not smoking the substance while driving.

Dale Andrew Smith, of Malvern Terrace, Brynmill, Swansea, pleaded guilty to driving while over the controlled drug limit when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, November 3.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said Smith, 32, was stopped by police during routine checks on the A477 Stepaside bypass at 2.05pm on May 21.

Officers could smell cannabis coming from the Fiat Punto when they spoke to him, and a roadside drug-swipe was positive.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “There is no allegation of bad driving. The gentleman may have smoked cannabis some time before, but it stays in your system for some time.”

Smith, who represented himself, informed the bench he had already been disqualified from driving for six months as a result of a speeding offence.

He said: “I was not smoking it while I was driving.

“I don’t think this is fair at all.

“I have a drug problem, I smoke it every day. You should be sending me to have help with the drug problem.”

He added: “How can you make someone guilty when they have had a joint two days before? It’s a way of getting money out of people isn’t it.”

Magistrates fined Smith £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £34 surcharge.

He was banned from driving for 12 months.