A MAN from Kinmel Bay who was found to be driving after taking ketamine has been banned from the roads.

Dean Mears, 33, of Bodelwyddan Avenue, was handed a three-year disqualification from driving at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court yesterday (April 29).

He admitted a charge of drug-driving during yesterday’s hearing.

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The court heard that, on January 19, Mears was spotted driving a Mercedes vehicle with a defective headlight by officers on Moelwyn Avenue, Kinmel Bay.

Mears was subsequently stopped and arrested, before a custody drug swipe gave a reading of 124 micrograms of ketamine per litre of blood.

In the UK, the legal limit is 20 micrograms of ketamine per litre of blood.

He had previously been convicted of drug-driving in January and June of 2020, and latterly in March 2024, when he was handed a suspended prison sentence.

In mitigation for Mears, who had eight previous convictions for 14 offences, the court heard that the father-of-two works for a scaffolding company, which wrote a positive reference on his behalf.

Mears was said to struggle with his mental health but regularly attends appointments to assist him in this regard, and is also taking steps to address his drug use.

There was no evidence of poor driving on his part at the time of the incident, meanwhile.

As well as his driving ban, Mears was ordered to pay a £600 fine, court costs of £240, and prosecution costs of £85.

This amounted to a total payment of £925.