A STUDENT found with cannabis in his system and hidden in his bottom crashed into a lamppost while watching women crossing the road, magistrates heard.

Thanushen Ramanathan, of Flat 43, Alexandra Hall in Victoria Terrace, Aberystwyth, was found to have more than three times the amount of cannabis than specified in a charge of driving with a controlled drug over the prescribed limit.

He pleaded guilty to the charge as well as possession of cannabis found when he was strip searched.

Prosecutor Ellie Morgan said Ramanathan was first stopped by police at a lay-by near Blaendolau and 30 minutes later police officers saw Ramanathan’s car had hit a lamppost and he was walking around in front of it as he couldn’t move it.

Ms Morgan said 20-year-old Ramanathan passed a breath test, but a drug test showed he had 7.7 microgrammes of cannabis in his system, with the limit imposed being two microgrammes.

Following his arrest Ramanathan, who officers said smelt of cannabis, was searched and two wraps were found in his buttocks which he initially denied were his.

In an interview Ramanathan said he had driven around had been smoking cannabis, but that when he was stopped in the early hours of Saturday, 16 April, he had not smoked cannabis himself since the Thursday before.

Defence solicitor Alison Mathias said the new drug driving rules were not clear on how Ramanathan should be punished so magistrates should use the same guidelines that would be used for someone charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol.

She said Ramanathan’s driving licence had been revoked as he was a newly qualified driver and had been given penalty points meaning he would not be able to get a licence until he passed a test again.

Ramanathan is currently subject to a community order after he was convicted of threatening to punch a police officer and magistrates warned him that he was jeopardising his future unless he worked with the probation service and stopped offending.

While the current community order will continue to run, another 12-month order will run alongside it. As part of that order he will have to complete 20 sessions of thinking skills and 15 days of rehabilitation action requirement.

Ramanathan was also fined £80 and will pay costs totalling £170.