AN EDEN Valley man landed himself in court after he drove home after a night at the pub while more than twice the drink drive limit.

Colin Lawson was stopped by officers on Drawbriggs Mount in Appleby on May 1 and was found to have 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The 39-year-old went for a few drinks after a stressful day at work, before then opting to drive the less than one mile journey home.

Pam Ward, prosecuting, said: "The offence occurred at 11.30pm when he was driving his Volkswagen Golf and he drove through a red light.

"Officers asked him to stop and he did. He was fully cooperative.

"He has no previous convictions."

Gail Heard, for Lawson, of Belgravia, Appleby, said: "He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

"His great shame is to be before this court.

"He never anticipated he would be before the court.

"He has gone over and over in his mind trying to realise what caused him to act in the irresponsible manner in which he did."

She continued: "He takes it very seriously.

"He went for a drink after work after having a difficult day. The plan was to wind down, but he had more drink than he anticipated.

"He lives less than a mile from the pub. When this has happened in the past there was no issue as he would walk home.

"The next day he couldn't understand why he did it. It has never happened before and will never happen again."

Miss Heard added: "Following the incident he wrote to his employer and they described him as a very loyal, punctual, polite employee.

"He has been employed for nine years now and he works in Penrith."

Lawson was fined £381, was told to pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service, a £38 victim surcharge and he was banned from driving for 17 months.