A SOUTHAMPTON man was caught riding an e-scooter over the legal drug limit on his way to work.

Ashley Hunt was stopped by police riding in Oriana Way while on his way to work on the Nursling Industrial Estate.

A Crown Prosecution Service solicitor told how the 30-year-old of Ennerdale Road, was required to do a roadside drugs test after displaying erratic behaviour.

Hunt was taken into custody and had a blood test which gave a reading of 3.8ug of THC - a breakdown product of cannabis - per litre of blood.

The limit is just 2ug - making him almost twice the limit.

Appearing before Southampton Magistrates’ Court, he was charged with a single count of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.

He pleaded guilty to the offence which happened on May 11 this year.

Daily Echo: Ashley Hunt outside Southampton Magistrates' Court.Ashley Hunt outside Southampton Magistrates' Court.

Defending, solicitor Will Day, said that his client had been on his way to work and was driving carefully - not causing any issues.

He said: “[They] came up behind him and asked him to stop and he did stop. He complied fully.”

Mr Day said that Hunt had not been using cannabis that morning.

And added: “The night before I think he may have, and he said he didn’t realise it was still in his system.”

The court heard that Hunt was sorry for what had happened and had not been disqualified from driving in the last ten years.

The chair of the magistrates’ panel, Mr Charles Aspinell, said: “You will be disqualified from driving any sort of motor vehicle which includes an e-scooter.

“If you’re back in the courts because you have been found driving while disqualified, that is a serious matter and has in the past been dealt with by a period of imprisonment.”

He was banned from the roads for 12-months and ordered to pay a £460 fine.

Hunt was also ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £46 surcharge towards the victims of crime.