A SERIAL offender who took his girlfriend’s dad’s Jaguar for a spin after a drink-fuelled argument has been spared jail.

Paul Andrews - who has 35 convictions for 79 offences, many of which are related to motoring - took the luxury white car even though he did not have a driving licence and was not insured to drive it.

Drunk Andrews was caught on CCTV sitting behind the wheel of the car before making off in it shortly after 3.30am.

When he returned to the home he shares with his girlfriend and her family, in Cornflower Close, Stanway, the police had already been called.

The 28-year-old was most recently in court in December to be sentenced for driving otherwise in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance and taking a car without consent.

For those offences, he was handed a year-long community order and had to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

To date, however, he has not completed any of the work, citing “employment reasons”.

Emma Howson, prosecuting, said: “Police were called at 3.37am after it appears an argument between the defendant and his girlfriend.

“That argument led to the defendant taking the white Jaguar from his girlfriend’s home address.

“Officers were called to the address and when he arrived, he was asked to take a breath test.”

The lowest reading he recorded was 43mg in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Mrs Howson added: “Mr Andrews has 35 previous convictions for 79 offences, many of which are motoring offences.”

Graham Brown, mitigating, said: “There was an issue which arose on this evening and, out of frustration, the defendant acted without thinking and took the motor vehicle and drove off.

“He actually had second thoughts and returned but he didn’t know it had been reported as stolen to the police and returned it.”

Mr Brown also told the court Andrews had shown significant remorse and had told him: “This family has been my saviour.”

Andrews escaped a prison sentence on Tuesday as magistrates opted to re-sentence him for the December offences as well as drink driving, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and driving while uninsured on April 29.

For all offences, he must complete 150 hours of unpaid work in one year.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.