A DRIVER who was unfit to drive after taking drugs has been disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Mark Lockerbie, of Westgarth Terrace, Darlington, admitted the charge when he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The magistrates heard that the police had been called to the Red Hall estate in Darlington, on January 20, at 7.10am.

Officers saw a car with its front wheels parked on a grass verge facing the kerb on McMillan Road.

One officer approached the car, which was then driven off before he reached it.

Lockerbie, 32, was later found hiding in a garden in Shelley Road.

Jonathan Bambrough, prosecuting, said that when Lockerbie was found, he was out of breath, red-faced and intoxicated.

Tests showed that he had 34 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

But the police doctor carried out impairment tests, which showed he had quantities of cannabis and cocaine in his blood.

In mitigation, Stephen Andrews said that, at the time, Lockerbie was coming to terms with the end of a long-term relationship.

He added: "We are talking about an offence which took place nearly 12 months ago.

"In the last few months, he has cleaned up his act."

Lockerbie had admitted he was using the drugs to overcome the end of the relationship.

Lockerbie, who is already serving a two-year community order, was also given an 18-month concurrent order for possessing cannabis and cocaine for personal use.

And he was given an 18-month conditional discharge for drunk and disorderly behaviour, as well as for failing to meet previous court appearances.