A FATHER who drove his children to school whilst more than three times the legal drug-drive limit has lost his licence.

Peterlee Magistrates' Court heard that Lee Smith smoked cannabis at 4am before going to sleep and getting up and driving his children to school.

The 30-year-old was pulled over during a routine police stop and was found in possession of a bag of cannabis.

Laura Johnson, prosecuting, said: "He was arrested and a blood sample sent off for forensic analysis showed the defendant had 7mg of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [the cannabis breakdown product] in his system. The legal limit is 2mg."

Smith, of Briar Close, Chester-Le-Street pleaded guilty to drug-driving, driving without insurance and possession of a Class B drug on February 4.

Connor Leonard, mitigating, said his client had difficulty sleeping and had taken the drug to help him sleep.

He added: "He says he is here through his own fault and you will not see him before you again.

"He has his own vehicle and his own insurance policy, for some reason on that day he decided to take his mother's vehicle.

"He struggles to rest and he struggles to sleep, hence why he was up at 4am. He smoked some cannabis and went to bed. He didn't think he would be over the limit and says he would never do anything to put his children at risk.

"He accepts what he has done wrong and he has co-operated with the authorities throughout this entire process.

"The police did not weigh the cannabis but it's safe to say it was a small bag. It was an isolated incident and he made no attempts to conceal it."

Smith was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £415. He was also given six penalty points on his licence and must pay £41 victim surcharge and £85 costs.