A LANGPORT gardener who jumped into his car to check on his tools after hearing thieves were in the area was then caught drug-driving by police.

Darren Atkins had been smoking cannabis when he drove to Somerton and was pulled over by police for having defective lights.

When they spoke to him they could smell cannabis coming from inside the vehicle and he was found to be over the limit, District judge Angela Brereton was told at Yeovil.

Atkins, 31, of Garden City, pleaded guilty to driving a Landrover on the B3153 at Somerton on April 13 while over the drug drive limit.

The court heard the defendant was stopped by police due to two defective bulbs and when they could smell cannabis he confessed he had just smoked some 30 minutes earlier.

Prosecutor Ben Winzer said: “A search was carried out of the vehicle and two bags of cannabis were found inside and he was found to be over the limit for Delta-9, a cannabis derivative.

Defending himself, Atkins said he didn’t realise how much cannabis he had in his system at the time.

“I went out that night as there had been some break-dins in Somerton and after seeing three vehicles driving past I decided to hit the road,” he said.

“I was just investigating because I have tools in Somerton and I just wanted to check things were ok, however I know I was in the wrong.”

He said he worked as a gardener and a driving ban would leave him not being able to work.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £300 with a £120 victim surcharge and £85 costs.