A chip shop worker who was pulled over by police in a VW golf with high levels of ketamine in his system has been told by a judge he was lucky to avoid jail time.

Learner driver Danil Iminov, from Dartford, was pulled over while driving along Darenth Hill on September 17 last year and asked do a drug test.

The 19-year-old, who works at the Sutton-at-Hone Fish Bar, failed the test and further blood tests revealed he had 132 micrograms of ketamine per 100ml of blood in his system – the legal limit is 20.

Iminov, of Main Road, in the same village, was charged with drug-driving, driving without insurance and without a licence and admitted the offences when he appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Monday, April 24.

James Nichols, prosecuting, said: “He was found with ketamine in his system, he admitted it to police and was also found to have no insurance or licence to drive the vehicle.”

The court also heard Iminov made a silly mistake on the day in question and understands how dangerous his actions were.

District Judge William Nelson said: “You are lucky not to be looking at custody.

“Ketamine should be nowhere near a vehicle.”

Judge Nelson decided to place Iminov on a 12 month community order, which will see him carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and banned him from driving for 20 months.

He was also fined £100 for driving without insurance and his licence will be endorsed.

Iminov received no separate penalty for the driving without a licence offence and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 costs.