A Ramsey woman who drove under the influence of cannabis has been fined £1,000 and banned from the roads for two years.

Sophie Elizabeth Smith gave a blood sample which produced a result of more than three times the legal limit for the class B drug.

The 20-year-old appeared before magistrates in Douglas and was also ordered to take an extended driving test at the end of her disqualification period.

Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge told the court that officers from the Isle of Man Constabulary saw the defendant driving a Vauxhall Astra on August 13, at Ballaquayle Road in Douglas.

She was described as travelling in the vehicle at speed and was subsequently stopped on Glencrutchery Road by the police.

A roadside drug wipe test proved positive for cannabis and Smith was subsequently arrested.

At the Isle of Man Constabulary’s headquarters in Douglas, she gave a sample of blood which was sent to the United Kingdom for analysis, and later produced a reading of 7.7 micrograms per litre of blood, above the legal limit of two micrograms per litre of blood.

The court heard that she has no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Paul Rodgers said that the legal limit for cannabis had been set very low, to deter any consumption whatsoever before driving, and was not necessarily the level of impairment.

Mr Rodgers said that the Drug Advisory Board in the United Kingdom had recommended a limit of five micrograms per litre of blood.

The advocate said that Smith had since obtained a prescription for medicinal cannabis, and had been using the drug to treat her anxiety.

Magistrates also ordered the defendant, who lives at Gooseneck Road, to pay a total of £125 prosecution costs.

She will pay all amounts at a rate of £50 per week.