A man who drove his son to school while under the influence of drink and drugs has been banned from the roads for a year.

Abdirashid Ibrahim Abdi, of Cromwell Road, West Drayton, drank two and a half cans of beer and took khat, a legal stimulant drug which induces a dream-like state, the night before the incident on February 11.

Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard how, after dropping his son off at school, he was questioned by police alerted by worried members of the pub

lic, who saw him slumped over the wheel of his silver Nissan Primera in Judge Heath Lane, Hayes.

Kevin Christie, prosecuting, said one of the officers knocked on the window and Abdi, 29, sat upright and was seen to be in a dazed state. The officer asked him to turn the engine off and step out-side the car.

They noticed he smelled of alcohol and his eyes were glazed, his speech slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

Abdi admitted he had just taken his son to school.

After four failed attempts at a breath test he was taken to West Drayton police station in Swan Road and charged with failing to provide a sample.

Abdi, who came to court with no legal representation, later admitted he had also taken more khat that morning.

He said in his defence: "I was only drunk the night before and it is normal for me to take my son to school.

"I admit I am guilty but I need my car for work and I am willing to complete a drink driving course."

Abdi, who has no previous convictions, was disqualified from driving for one year and ordered to pay £185 in costs.

Passing sentence, chairman of the bench Jeremy Lister said: "We cannot ignore the aggravating circumstances that you were carrying a child in the car while under the influence."