A NEW Quay man drove with cannabis in his system and had sleeping pills unlicensed in the UK in his glove apartment, magistrates have heard.

But defence solicitor Katy Hanson said Daniel Richard Angel, of West Winds, had intended to use the sleeping pills to help reduce his use of cannabis as he felt he was using the drug too much at the time.

Angel pleaded guilty to possession of four etizolam pills, a Class C drug, and of drug driving with a level of delta-9-tetrahydrocannibol, a cannabis compound, above the specified limit in his blood.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said Angel, 30, was stopped while driving on the B4342 at New Quay on 7 January shortly after 1pm.

Officers noticed a faint smell of cannabis and Angel admitted he’d smoked cannabis the night before.

Ms Hanson said he had thought the pills had been prescribed to someone else and hadn’t realised the pills were not available in the UK.

Angel, who is now in danger of losing his job working with a local builder, was banned from driving for a year.

He was also fined £350 and will pay costs of £120.