A MOTORIST caught drink driving near Carlisle was almost four times the legal limit for alcohol when he was caught, a court heard.

Thursby man Dominic Fletcher, 57, who pleaded guilty to the offence, blamed his offending on a traumatic event which had left him worried for his son. The defendant was given a 90-day alcohol ban and a 33-month driving ban.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate court, prosecutor Andy Travis outlined the facts.

He said police were alerted about a man who was seen going into s petrol station at Cardewlees, near Carlisle, on Monday, February 20. Staff told the officers who were sent to the scene that they had seen a driver who smelled strongly of alcohol.

“He was staggering and attempting to buy alcohol, but staff refused to serve him,” said the prosecutor. Armed with information about the defendant’s car, an Audi Q7, police tracked Fletcher down to Dalston.

They found him there at around 1pm. They spotted the car near to the local Co-op store and stopped it on Station Road, asking Fletcher to turn off his engine.

Mr Travis said: “During the initial encounter, the officers noticed that there was a strong smell of alcohol and when the defendant was questioned, his speech was slurred. He said he drank half a bottle of wine ‘last night’ but nothing today.

“The officer had a strong suspicion that he was intoxicated.”

A breath test conducted at Carlisle’s Durranhill Police HQ confirmed that the defendant had 137mcg of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit for driving is 35mcg. The court heard that Fletcher is a man of previous good character.

The defendant, who was not legally represented, told magistrates: “I don’t think there’s anything I can tell anyone that is not already in my character references.” He said he had been fearful for his son at the time following the death of his best friend.

Fletcher also said that if he was banned for more than 18 months, he would lose his job and be bankrupted. His employer had agreed they could work round a ban provided it did not exceed 18-months.

After hearing the details, magistrates gave Fletcher, from Skiddaw View, Thursby, a 12-month community order with two requirements: an electronically monitored 90-day alcohol abstinence order and 120 hours of unpaid work.

He was also offered a drink driver rehabilitation course, which if completed by a deadline will reduce the length of his ban by 33 weeks. Fletcher must pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.