AN unemployed chef was caught drink-driving after a night out watching football and clubbing with friends in Colchester.

Simon Smith, 20, of Chapel Lane, West Bergholt, was caught by police driving his Vauxhall Corsa along East Hill, in Colchester.

He was pulled over by police, acting on a tip-off that he was drunk, at 2.10am, on June 28.

Smith was found to have 57 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Smith admitted the offence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, on Monday.

The court heard Smith had been drinking in Yates Wine Bar and had ended up going on to Liquid & Envy nightclub.

Paul Baker, mitigating, told the court the chef had gone out to watch a football match and was talked into staying out afterwards by friends.

Mr Baker said: “Because of his limited income it is very rare for him to go out at all and this was the first time in a long while.

“He ended up meeting up with some college friends and they paid for him to get in to Liquids and bought him some drinks inside the club.”

Chairman of the bench David Druitt ordered Smith to pay a £75 fine, £40 towards court costs and a £15 surcharge.

He was also banned from driving for 16 months.