A DRUG driver who took crack cocaine to celebrate her birthday was 26 times the limit when police stopped her.

Zoe Davies admitted driving with two controlled substances in her body when she was stopped in Hanley Road, Upton.

The 42-year-old of Laburnum Walk, Upton, had 1,286mg of Benzoylecgonine (a breakdown product of cocaine) in her blood, 26 times the limit of 50mg per litre of blood, Worcester Magistrates Court heard.

She was tested after being stopped behind the wheel of her Volkswagen Fox at 1.25am on Wednesday, January 20.

She also had 109mg of cocaine per litre of blood, nearly 11 times the limit of 10mg.

Adrian Jones, prosecuting, said she was initially stopped because her MOT certificate had expired.

However, a roadside drugs test was positive for cocaine and cannabis and she was taken to the police station where a blood sample was retrieved.

Mr Jones said she was 11 time the limit for cocaine and 26 times for Benzoylecgonine which he described as 'a breakdown from cocaine in the blood'.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said no guidelines had yet been issued for drug driving so at the moment the drink driving guidelines were being used by magistrates.

Mr Turnbull said no reference was made by the arresting officer to Davies' standard of driving and it was 'a standard stop check'.

He added: "She had taken some crack cocaine over the weekend. There had been a belated birthday celebration.

"You don't have any guidelines (for sentencing) in relation to driving with excess drugs in your system."

Mr Turnbull questioned the extent to which the sentencing guidelines for drink driving could be applied to drug driving.

"If someone was 26 times the legal limit for alcohol they would be on the floor and probably in hospital. We should be looking at the level of impairment.

"I would keep disqualification to a minimum based on the level of impairment, not an arithmetical consideration."

Mr Turnbull said Davies had mobility problems and could not walk without a stick after she injured her back and leg a year ago. He also said she was not a regular user of cocaine and was on a methadone script.

Davies received two concurrent 18 week prison sentences for each of the drug drive offences, suspended for 12 months.

Magistrates further banned her from driving for 36 months, ordered her to pay £135 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

* The Worcester News was the only press present at this court hearing.