A LEARNER driver who got behind the wheel while double the drink-drive limit and flipped his car on a rural road has been spared jail.

Steven George was driving an MG ZR car in Birch in the early hours of the morning when he lost control of it, mounted a soft verge and flipped the car into a field.

George, 25, of Barrack Street, Colchester, had four passengers, who suffered a range of injuries including facial scarring and fractured ribs.

He originally denied drink driving, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Sitting at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, District Judge John Woollard heard George was arrested by police at the scene and his lowest alcohol level reading was 172mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

The legal limit is 80mg.

Mr Woollard also heard when the incident happened, at about 4am on June 3, the MG car was not insured and the learner driver was driving without ‘L’ plates.

George changed his plea to guilty on September 27 and was sentenced by Mr Woollard.

For the excess alcohol charge and the no insurance count, George was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for one year.

He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

The father was also ordered to pay a total of £315, including £215 in court charges and costs and was disqualified from driving for four years.

He faces no separate penalty for driving without displaying ‘L’ plates.

Mr Woollard said the offences were so serious the custody threshold had been passed.

But the District Judge opted to suspend George’s sentence.

The court heard George has a “lengthy” list of previous convictions, including for excess alcohol and failure to comply with court orders.

Any future breach of the suspended sentence will be put in front of Mr Woollard.