A gas and plumbing engineer was caught drug driving on busy roads twice in a month.
Alex Luke was first pulled over on Newcastle's Central Motorway and was found to be over the limit for the breakdown products of both cannabis (THC) and cocaine (BZE).
The 23-year-old was arrested and released but, while under investigation, went on to get behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta once more, again with drugs in his system.
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A court heard that, on this occasion, Luke was stopped on the A1 and was over the limit for THC.
Now, Luke, of Ottershaw, in Denton, Newcastle, has been banned from the roads for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to three counts of driving while over the specified drugs limit.
James Long, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said Luke was first pulled over on the Central Motorway after an officer's attention was drawn to his vehicle on October 4 last year.
He failed a roadside drugs swipe and a blood sample later found him to be over the limit for THC and BZE.
Mr Long said: "While under investigation for that matter and blood samples are being analysed, the defendant is seen by another officer at around 10pm on November 2.
"He was on duty on the A1 just north of Newcastle.
"The defendant's vehicle is travelling at speed and the officer stops it and speaks to the driver. He asks him if he's had any cannabis. The defendant said he had had a joint the previous evening
"He's arrested after failing a roadside drugs swipe."
The court heard that Luke had no previous convictions and was going through a difficult time after his parents divorced and his long-term relationship broke down.
Mark Styles, defending, said: "The explanation is entirely unsurprising.
"They are breakdown products rather than the actual drugs. He believed he'd waited long enough for the drugs to be out of his system before he drove."
Luke was fined £300 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
