A decorator who says he snorted cocaine on holiday was pulled over by police days after getting back and found to still have the drug in his system.

Officers spotted Joshua Benjamin driving a VW Golf in Herne Bay and his vehicle was flagged up as having no insurance.

The 33-year-old father was taking a friend home when he was pulled over at 4.40pm on May 2, in Forgefields in the seaside town.

Police dealt with the no insurance at the roadside by way of a traffic offence report - which has replaced a fixed penalty notice and requires the recipient to pay a fine and an automatic six points placed on the offender’s licence without having to appear in court.

But that was not the end of the matter for Benjamin as he was then asked to do a roadside swab test.

It proved positive for Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a cocaine by-product and he was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

Further tests back at the police station saw him give a reading of 172 micrograms of BZE per litre of blood, the legal limit is 50.

Benjamin, of Central Parade, Herne Bay, pleaded guilty to drug driving when he appeared in the dock at Margate Magistrates’ Court on November 13.

Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, acknowledged Benjamin had pleaded guilty at the court that day.

But she added in October he had been convicted of careless driving and had been disqualified from driving for six months.

Magistrates were also told Benjamin had taken the drug on holiday two days prior to driving and taking his friend home that evening.

The court was told he was a painter and decorator and when work was hard to find, he did scaffolding to make ends meet.

The bench extended his previous driving ban, disqualifying him for 12 months. Part of the existing ban will be incorporated into the new ban.

They also fined him £276 and ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £110 as well as £85 court costs which he will pay to the court at a rate of £100 a month.