A pensioner has been given a 25 month driving ban after police caught him drunk behind the wheel of his car, a court heard.

Trevor William Strickland, 69, who was stopped on the A66 at Embleton near Cockermouth on March 6, admitted drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates at Carlisle's Rickergate courts complex.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson described how police spotted the defendant's Mazada car being driven erratically on the A66 near Embleton village in the early afternoon.

He was pulled over and breath tested.

The reading revealed he had 114mcg of alcohol in 100ml of blood - just over three times the 35mcg limit.

When questioned by the officers who had stopped him he seemed incoherent, and smelled of alcohol.

“The officer believed he was drunk,” said Mrs Jackson.

Strickland, of Ellen Grove, Boltongate, Wigton, told police he had just visited a farm at Lamplugh in connection with his business, which involved selling animal health products but on his way home he had pulled into a layby for a drink.

The court heard that Strickland had a previous conviction for being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol on March 15 last year.

Magistrates then heard from a probation officer who interviewed the defendant. She told the court: “He presents as very ashamed and embarrassed at his behaviour: mortified that he is in front of the court for a second time in so short a time, having never been in court before in his life.”

She said Strickland appeared to be under significant stress – firstly because his partner had become ill last year; and secondly because he was under financial pressure, with debts of around £20,000.

The worker outlined how Strickland's business involved selling animal health products to farmers who depended on “single farm payments” from the government, but these had been delayed, preventing those purchases.

Yet the products he traded all have sell-by dates, she said.

The probation officer added: “It's causing him a great deal of stress and he's struggling to sell those products and struggling to find answers to get himself out of this position.”

Strickland had turned to alcohol to cope with the stress. But his wife did not drink and did not like him drinking in the house, she said.

Defence lawyer John Smith added: “His business profits last year were £9,000 and he gets a state pension. Farmers can't pay [for his products] because they're not getting the money from single farm payments.

“He's very worried.”

The defendant now faced even more difficulty because the driving ban would prevent him from delivering what products he could sell, added Mr Smith.

As well as the driving ban, magistrates imposed a three month 7pm to 7am curfew, which will include the defendant's coal shed; and he must pay £85 costs and the same amount as a victim surcharge.