A 38-YEAR-OLD Keighley man stopped by police in the early hours was almost three times over the drugs drive limit.

Javed Iqbal Faqir was driving a Mitsubishi Carisma in Keighley Road, Skipton, at just past midnight on January 24 this year when he was stopped by officers carrying out a routine check, Skipton Magistrates' Court was told.

But after smelling cannabis in the car, officers carried out a roadside drugs test that proved positive.

Faqir, a man of previous good character, was taken to Harrogate Police Station for a blood sample, which later revealed he had 5.6 microgrammes of the cannabis by-product in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is two.

Faqir, who admitted drugs-driving, told the court he was very sorry and realised he could have been involved in an accident.

Faqir, of Devonshire Street West, Keighley, was banned from driving for 24 months and fined £180, with costs of £85 and a £30 surcharge.