A DRUG driver caught in a village near Winchester will hear the length of his ban in the New Year.

He has been given a chance to get a letter from his dentist as to dental treatment drugs as part of his mitigation.

James McCulloch, 33, was driving a 03-reg Toyota Yaris when stopped by the police in Wonston Lane, near Sutton Scotney on July 5, a court heard.

He returned positive results for cannabis and Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a breakdown product of cocaine.

His reading for cannabis was 8.4mg per litre of blood when the legal limit is two and for BZE 240mg per litre of blood when the legal limit is 50.

At Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Thursday December 7 McCulloch,  of Wonston Lane, Sutton Scotney, received an interim disqualification from driving. The case was adjourned for sentencing on January 22.

Magistrates said the adjournment would give McCulloch an opportunity to get a letter from his dentist about dental drugs he was given, as the court record said it is "important to his mitigation on the BZE charge".