A CLACKMANNAN man, who was caught driving when more than three times over the limit for cannabis, had taken the drug to ease the pain from a sore back.

That was Andrew Hamilton’s version of events when he appeared for sentencing at Alloa Sheriff Court.

Hamilton, 38, of Zetland Street, admitted that on February 20 last year at the Morrisons store car park, Alloa, he drove when over the limit for cannabis.

His reading was 7 microgrammes of THC per litre of blood, the limit being 2 microgrammes.

Depute fiscal Sean Iles said that at 9.40am police stopped a car being driven by Hamilton.

There was a strong smell of cannabis from the vehicle, Hamilton failed a drugs test and was arrested.

Defence solicitor Robert Smith said it was “an error of judgement on his part”.

He said his client used cannabis recreationally but also for a sore back on that occasion. “However, he accepts he was in the wrong,” added the solicitor.

Sheriff Garry Sutherland imposed a community payback order with 90 hours of unpaid work and a 16-month driving ban.