A REPEAT offender with five previous convictions for drink driving got behind the wheel after sinking six cans of lager and attempted to drive two children to a shop.

Simon Sword, 38, was spotted “driving erratically” by patrolling officers in St John’s Road, Clacton.

Sharon Hall, prosecuting at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, said: “In their opinion he was trying to evade them and the manner of his driving caused concern and suspicion.

“The vehicle came to a stop and officers spoke to Mr Sword.

“He admitted to officers he he didn’t have a full licence or valid insurance.

“Officers noticed a young child in a car seat in the rear and a teenager in the front passenger seat.”

She added: “Inside the vehicle officers noticed empty beer cans, which suggests he had been drinking while driving in the car.”

A roadside breath test found Sword had 84mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than double the legal limit of 35mg.

He admitted a charge of drink driving before magistrates yesterday.

He also admitted driving without insurance and without a full licence.

The court heard this is his SIXTH drink driving conviction.

Mrs Hall said: “The sixth drink driving offence will cause you concern, not only that but the fact he has passengers, children, in the vehicle.”

Representing himself, the father-of-four insisted he wasn’t making any effort to evade the police.

“There is not very much I can tell you apart from I was in the wrong,” he said.

“I have got mental health issues but that is no excuse for what I have done. I apologise for what I have done, I broke the law.

“It wasn’t erratic driving, I was going to the shops. I wasn’t trying to evade capture because I wouldn’t have stopped if I was.”

Magistrates imposed a 19 month community order.

Sword, of Warwick Crescent, Clacton, must complete 120 hours of unpaid work, 19 sessions of a Thinking Skills programme and a 20 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was banned from the roads for three years and ordered to pay £175 in court costs.