A DRIVER who was found to be marginally over the cannabis drug drive limit claimed it was a result of passive smoking.

Blackburn magistrates heard Stylianos Koyroypis attracted the attention of the police because his Peugeot 206 was not insured.

Koyroypis, 27, of Newton Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to driving while over the specified limit for cannabis in Blackburn on September 6.

He was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £120 with £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

The court heard a blood test revealed a reading of 2.8 against the legal limit of 2.

Imran Hussain, defending, said his client did not smoke cannabis.

"He says he had been in company with others who had been smoking cannabis and his reading was as a result of passive inhalation," said Mr Hussain.