Drink driver was followed from shop with bottle of Pernod

They heard that the man, Trevor Distance, 57, of Yarborough Road, then left the shop and drove off in a Mini Cooper car.

The officer followed the man and stopped the car and, after a positive breath test,

Distance was arrested and provided a sample of 68 microgrammes of alcohol, the legal limit being 35.

Mitigating for Distance, who admitted driving with excess alcohol on December 16, Mark Hudson said Distance had been drinking on an empty stomach the night before because he had had no food as he had a stomach upset, and had gone out to buy more Pernod.

Distance was banned from driving for 18 months but was offered the drink drivers' rehabilitation course, which will reduce the period of the ban by 18 weeks.

He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £117 in court costs and charges.