AN AMMAN Valley teenager who displayed a "cavalier attitude" towards driving while under the influence of drugs has been banned from getting behind the wheel after he was found with a cocktail of drugs in his system - twice.

Dafydd Griffiths, of Glyn Road, Lower Brynaman, was first pulled over by police in the the village on May 20 in a routine stop.

A drug-wipe test on the steering wheel of the 19-year-old’s Vauxhall Corsa proved positive, so Griffiths was taken to have his blood tested.

He was found to have 472 micrograms of Benzoylecgonine (BZG) per litre of blood. BZG is substance left in the blood following the chemical breakdown of cocaine. The legal limit is 50 micrograms.

He also had 11 micrograms of cocaine per litre of his blood. The legal limit is 10.

Griffiths was also found with 3.1 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC - the active compound found in cannabis - per litre of blood. The legal limit is two micrograms.

Just over a month later, on June 25, Griffiths was pulled over by police again on Margaret Street, Ammanford.

This time, his blood tested positive for 172 micrograms of BZG and 7.6 micrograms of THC.

The former Ysgol Dyffryn Aman pupil admitted all five charges at Llanelli magistrates’ court last Thursday, August 17.

Deputy District Judge Martin Steen told Griffiths he had been "foolish" to have taken drugs before driving prior to the first incident.

“The second time shows a complete lack of thinking skills," said DDJ Sheen.

“The word needs to get out to you and your friends that this will not be tolerated.

“You and they need to know how long Class A drugs stay in your system.

“It’s a long time and even when you think you feel fine, it’s still there in your body.”

The court heard that Griffiths, who lives with his parents, would spend around £50 per weekend on drugs, but would refrain from taking them during the week when he works as an apprentice scaffolder.

A Probation Service officer said: “He started taking cannabis around 10 months ago and cocaine around six months ago, with friends in the Ammanford area.

“In light of this experience and the recent death of a friend through drug misuse he now does not use any drugs of any description.”

DDJ Steen said he was pleased to hear Griffiths had put drugs behind him.

“I think that is a very sensible decision, but you should have learnt from the first time.

“You have demonstrated a cavalier attitude towards drink and drug driving laws.”

Griffiths was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service work over the next 12 months.

He was also fined £400, ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Sentencing him, DDJ Steen said: “If you get behind the wheel of a car, you will be sent to prison.

“I want you to imagine a cell door shutting behind you if you shut a car door behind you, because that is effectively what you will be doing.”