Nicholas Lee was riding his mother’s motorbike along Langstaffe Drive on March 4 when police stopped him shortly after 6pm.

After showing police his driver’s licence, Lee was underwent a breath test which returned with a negative reading.

But an oral fluid test shortly after indicated the presence of a prescribed illicit drug.

A further oral fluid test analysed by forensics confirmed the presence of methylamphetamine in his system.

Lee told police in an interview he denied taking any drugs and he did not think he had drugs in his fluid.

He pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday to one count of drug-driving.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Helen Farmer told the court Lee did have prior convictions for traffic offences, which were relevant to the drug-driving incident.

Defence barrister Tim Tyler said there were no aggravating factors surrounding the incident.

He said his client was not driving unlicensed, driving an unregistered motorbike or speeding.

Mr Tyler said he was riding his mother’s motorbike at the time.

He said Lee, a stonemason by trade, was friends with people who used drugs and at one point, his life was in danger.

“(He is a) young man whose life spiraled out of control due to ice addiction. He did get parole and complied with it successfully,” Mr Tyler said.

Magistrate Clive Alsop fined Lee $500 and ordered him not to drive for six months from June 25.