A cannabis smoker spotted driving slowly along a village road claimed she was trying to avoid a large bird on the road after being pulled over by police for drug driving.

Amy Gregory had been at the wheel of her black Skoda Octavia in Halling when officers saw her poodling along the road at a slow speed.

Officers decided to stop the 40-year-old former graphic designer and when they spoke to her she admitted she had some cannabis in the vehicle.

A roadside drug swipe proved positive for the class B drug.

She was arrested and blood tests later revealed she was over the legal limit for THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Gregory, of High Street, Halling, was later charged with drug driving and possession of a class B drug.

She pleaded guilty to both offences when she appeared in the dock at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court last Wednesday (August 21).

Magistrates were told she had 9.8 micrograms of THC per litre of blood in her system. The legal limit is 2.

Prosecutor James Nichols told the court Gregory was pulled over on March 10.

He added: “It was just after midnight, in the early hours of the Sunday morning and she was stopped because of the slow manner of her driving.

“She admitted there was cannabis in the vehicle and it was for her personal use.

“A roadside swab proved positive and further blood tests proved she was over the legal limit.”

The court also heard Gregory, who was now on Universal Credit, had long-term depression and ADHD, had found it difficult to carry on working and used the drug as a coping mechanism.

They were also told she was of previous good character and was driving in that manner as she was trying to avoid a large bird that had been on the road.

Magistrates decided to punish Gregory with a financial penalty and fined her £120 for the drug driving offence and £60 for the possession of cannabis.

She was also banned from driving for 12 months and must pay a victim surcharge of £80, as well as £85 court costs

Gregory will pay what she owes the court at a rate of £20 a month because she is on Universal Credit.