A motorist whose pal’s brother was killed in a drink driving accident was caught in his Ford Mondeo in Carlisle while three times over the limit.

Paul Vincent Baker, 45, was brought to justice after another driver was forced to take emergency evasive action to avoid a collision, Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates Court heard.

In court, Baker admitted drink driving. Pam Ward, prosecuting, described how the defendant committed the offence on the evening of September 16.

The motorist who had to take evasive action in Dunmail Drive took a note of the defendant’s registration number and called police.

A short time later, officers found the defendant in his car, its engine still runing. When he got out of the Ford, he twice stumbled as he attempted to walk away in the space of just 10ft, said Mrs Ward.

A roadside breath test revealed he had 110mcg of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit for driving is 35mcg.

Tariq Khwam, for Baker, said the defendant had agreed to give a work colleague a lift home to Dalston, but once he arrived he was offered a beer. But then somebody else arrived and he continued drinking, said the lawyer.

Mr Khwam added: “He said he felt okay to drive. He himself has a friend whose brother was killed in an accident involving excess alcohol.

“He feels utterly ashamed.”

The inevitable drink-driving ban would cause serious problems for the defendant, who has been living in Borrowdale Road, Carlisle, and is due to start work in Belgium, said Mr Khwam.

Magistrates imposed a 26-month driving ban. They also fined Baker, from Immingham, Lincolnshire, £593, with a £59 victim surcharge and prosecution costs of £85. The defendant was offered the drink drivers’ rehabilitation course, which if completed in time will cut his ban by 26 weeks.