A DRIVER has been banned from the roads after getting behind the wheel of his mum's car after smoking cannabis and crashing into a telegraph pole.

Ryan Black's own car was in the garage but was given permission to use his mother's Vauxhall Corsa because the family thought he had a fully comp insurance policy.

But after leaving his home in Sweet Briar Road, Stanway, the 21-year-old was driving in Abberton Road, Layer-de-la-Haye, when he swerved out of the way of a deer on the carriageway and smashed into a telegraph pole which snapped.

The car ended up in a ditch and both Black and his passenger were found by police who happened to be passing.

They were taken to hospital for a check up on their injuries but were not seriously hurt.

Black tested positive for Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol - the main derivative of cannabis - and was found to have a small amount of the drug.

He was also found not to be insured to drive the Corsa after the small print of the insurance policy was checked.

Black admitted drug driving, possession of cannabis and driving without insurance at Colchester Magistrates' Court.

Gemma Lee, mitigating said: "Unfortunately the small print of the policy said he did not have permission to drive other vehicles.

"Had his parents known they would not have let him drive the car.

"He swerved to miss the deer and collided with the telegraph pole - luckily it was the only thing which was injured.

"He had recently broken up with his girlfriend, he was down, and was smoking and drinking more than usual."

Magistrates decided to ban Black from driving for 20 months following the incident in October.

He was handed a 12 month community order and must undertake 50 hours unpaid work.

Black must pay an £85 victim surcharge and £85 costs.