A motorist who was caught drink-driving twice within 48 hours escaped prison despite "extremely high" breath-test readings.

Adrian Queen, 44, had admitted two separate charges of driving while over the limit.

He appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday for sentencing.

Karan Savjani, prosecuting, said Queen was stopped by police just before 11pm on October 22.

His Ford Mondeo was being driven erratically on the A120.

"The vehicle drifted across the road, swerving from side-to-side and clipped the kerb," said Mr Savjani. He said the car was doing half the speed limit "for no apparent reason".

A breath test carried out at Braintree police station revealed 121mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath over three times the 35mcg legal limit.

Two days later at 5.15pm, Queen, of Fernlea, Colchester, was seen parked in a supermarket car park.

A member of the public approached him and saw an "almost empty" bottle of whisky in the Mondeo.

Police were called and he was arrested again. A breath test revealed 143mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Julie Brice, mitigating, said Queen had rowed with his partner after the first offence.

He was sober when he drove to the supermarket but started drinking while deciding whether to go home or stay at a hotel.

The court heard Queen was under a lot of stress at work and at home.

Magistrates told Queen: "You are not going to prison this afternoon but you have come very, very close because of the extremely high readings, which put members of the public's lives at risk."

Queen was banned from driving for three years, given a two-year community punishment and rehabilitation order and ordered to pay £55 costs.

Published Tuesday November 25, 2003

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