A man has been disqualified from driving for three years after admitting to drug driving.

Jamie Martin, 33, of Rayne Road, Braintree, was sentenced at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, September 17.

He was also fined £400 and was ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Martin was stopped by a Essex Police Special Sergeant following a 999 call in Ongar at around 9.50pm on Monday, May 6.

A woman had reported that she could smell cannabis coming from a Range Rover in Ongar Road which was also driving erratically.

Martin was pulled over in Hook End Road at around 10pm where he was tested positive for cannabis and his blood sample showed he was three times over the drug drive limit.

Special Sergeant Martin Beale, who is based with our Road Crime Team, said: “A woman’s call to our Control Room has resulted in a drug driver being removed from our roads.

“Martin admitted that he had just smoked cannabis before we stopped him and the readings showed he was at risk of causing himself or other road users at risk of harm.

“I’d like to thank the woman who called us for her vigilance and information. Her actions saw Martin receive a ban for a significant period of time.”

More than 600 officers across the force are trained to use drug wipes.

Drugs can stay in your system for a significant amount of time and even if you don’t feel impaired, you could still be over the drug driving limit and so breaking the law.

The easiest way of avoiding this is to drive safe and drive sober.

If you have any information about a drink or drug driving please call us on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Please call 999 in an emergency.