A DRIVER has been banned after being caught behind the wheel with cannabis in his system on his day off from work.

Peter Hnidka, aged 39, was spotted ‘swerving’ across Westwey Road in Weymouth and crossed the central white lines by patrolling police officers on December 28, 2020.

Prosecuting, Richard Oakley, explained to Weymouth Magistrates’ Court how he further raised suspicions when he remained stationary at traffic lights despite them being green.

Police officers stopped him after he 'swerved over the lines on Swannery Bridge' and admitted he had smoked a cannabis joint.

Hnidka, of Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, underwent a drugs test, which found he had three µg/L of cannabis in his system. The legal limit is two µg/L. He was also in possession of cannabis and that he ‘intended to smoke it.’

He pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle whilst unfit through drugs and possession of cannabis

Mitigating, Des Reynolds, explained that Hnidka, who had recently returned from Slovakia, was suffering from stress linked to his assistant restaurant manager role at a Bournemouth restaurant.

Mr Reynolds said: “He says that his job is very stressful with a lot of responsibility and the stress had been getting him down and this was his day off.

“He was given some cannabis and he took it and helped him relax. He doesn’t have a problem with cannabis and says he has not smoked since.”

Hnidka said he ‘simply made a mistake’ and feared a driving ban could deride a job promotion to general manager.

Hnidka was disqualified from driving for 12 months and he was ordered to pay a £471 fine, costs of £85 and £47 victim surcharge.