A TEENAGER who had smoked a cannabis joint before getting behind the wheel was rumbled by police after his journey was halted by a religious procession.

Blackburn magistrates heard an officer approached Samuel Miller’s car to inform him of the delay and immediately smelled cannabis.

Miller, 19, of St Philips Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs. He was fined £200 with £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 12 months.

Rachael Parker, prosecuting, said Miller admitted to the officer he had smoked a joint five or 10 minutes earlier. He gave a reading of 2.1 against the legal limit of 2.0.

Aftab Bakhat, defending, said Miller had been given a joint’s worth of cannabis by a friend. Mr Bakhat said his client felt he could drive.

“He rolled it, smoked it and got in his car not feeling it had any effect on his ability to drive,” said Mr Bakhat.