A MAN who was caught driving under the influence of drugs has been banned from driving for three years. 

Jonathan Jones, of Barrow Hall Road, Little Wakering, was arrested on the A13 in Benfleet. 

After he was pulled over by police carrying out a routine road safety operation, they smelled cannabis and found a quantity of the drug after searching his vehicle.

Jones, 25, also failed a roadside drugs test for cannabis and cocaine.

He was charged with possession of cannabis and drug-driving and admitted the offences at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 21.

He was banned from driving for three years and given a three month jail term suspended for 12 months.

Jones was also made subject of a curfew for four weeks, during which he must wear an electronic tag, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and must pay a £100 fine, £180 criminal courts charge and £85 costs.

Casualty reduction manager Adam Pipe said: "The sentence clearly highlights the seriousness of the offence and sends out a very strong message that driving under the influence of drugs is totally unacceptable and those individuals who drive under the influence of drugs pose a significant risk to all road users.

"This is an area of road safety that Essex Police takes very seriously and proactively looks to enforce through roads policing operations and patrols.”