A Lotus employee has blamed pain caused from chemicals used by the car maker after being convicted of drug driving.  

Apostolos Sotiriadas, 46, said he had used cannabis to try to ease pain caused by irritation to his skin caused by his job at the Hethel-based car maker.  

Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told he had failed a roadside drugs wipe after his Citroen C4 was stopped by police on Riverside Road in Norwich on July 13 last year. 

Rima Begum, prosecuting, said a subsequent blood reading found him to be three times over the limit for a cannabis derivative. 

READ MORE: Norwich driver 12 times over drug drive limit day after ban

Sotiriadas, of Alderson Road in Great Yarmouth, pleading guilty to drug driving.  

Rob New, mitigating, said he had been left in “constant pain” after GP prescribed medication had failed to treat a skin condition on his face and arms caused by chemicals.

“He is not someone who is a habitual user of cannabis, or any other drug, but he turned to it to try to relieve the pain,” he added.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 12 months and ordered he pay fines and costs totalling £553.