A 24-year-old man said by his barrister to be “in thrall to drugs” was jailed for 14 months.

Twelve months of the term is for breaching a suspended sentence imposed last November for having drugs with intent to supply.

Connor Hughes, of Lloyd Street, Llandudno, got two months after pleading guilty to failing to provide a blood specimen on December 29 when his car was stopped in the Conwy Valley.

The car, said Ember-Jade Wong, prosecuting at Caernarfon crown court, reeked of cannabis and he appeared half asleep.

He was serving a 15-month sentence imposed the previous month which had been suspended for 18 months.

Elen Owen, defending, said this sentence had been for offences committed in 2018, the delay apparently due to the time it took police to investigate.

She said Hughes was hoping to start a college course to obtain a bricklaying qualification.

The root of his problem was drugs.

“He’s absolutely in the thrall of drugs, self-medicating for serious depression,” she explained.

Mr Recorder Duncan Bould said there had been a pattern of driving under the influence of drugs.

“He’s on cannabis, driving a car and barely able to keep awake,” the judge pointed out.

He said that when Hughes was sentenced last year for extremely serious drugs offences it would have been made clear what breaching the suspended term would mean.

“The time has come for you to face the consequences of your actions,” he added.

Hughes was banned from driving for three years and seven months, meaning that he will face a three-year disqualification on his release from prison.

He must also pay a £149 surcharge.