A cocaine-user motorist had been bare-chested and his speech slurred when police stopped the vehicle he was driving, a court heard on Monday when he received an 18 weeks suspended jail term.

Gareth Forster, aged 38, of Graianrhyd Road, Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Mold, was also banned for three years and fined £400 with £320 costs. He pleaded guilty to drug-driving in a Hyundai on the A525 at Denbigh on November 18 and possessing cocaine.

Forster also admitted that on October 23 on a public footpath next to Betws y Coed golf club he had been in charge of a Jaguar car with an ingredient of cocaine above the limit.

James Neary, prosecuting at Llandudno magistrates’ court, said there were three passengers when the defendant was stopped on the A525. On the previous occasion he had been lying on the back seat of the car with the engine running and his speech slurred again.

The court heard Forster, who worked for a cladding firm, had suffered from depression. Defence solicitor Andrew Hutchinson said Forster had been going through a bad time but had engaged with mental health services.