A DRIVER was slurring his words and could barely walk unaided after he was stopped by police.

Bolton magistrates heard how Lee Higgins was found to have drunk more than double the legal alcohol limit.

Shazia Aslam, prosecuting, told how, at 2am on January 27, officers saw Higgins' Vauxhall Astra on Lever Edge Lane, Bolton.

"The driver had previously failed to stop for patrols, was swerving and had offside damage in that the brake light was out," she said.

"When the defendant was stopped he was slurring his words, he could barely walk unaided by others and he smelt strongly of intoxicants."

A test showed that he had 74 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Higgins, aged 33, of Greenhead Walk, Bolton, pleaded guilty to drink driving.

The court heard that he has 20 previous convictions for 40 crimes, but none for similar offences.

Rahil Khan, defending, stressed: "In relation to the driving as described by the police officer, Mr Higgins does not accept that.

"There is no drive away from the police at all. He had been to a public house to watch a football match with friends where he consumed alcohol and had a meal.

"At the time he felt, when he was driving, which was quite a time afterwards, that he was in a fit condition to drive.

"He has no recollection of swerving the vehicle. He has no recollection that his words were slurred."

Mr Khan added that Higgins is sorry for having driven over the alcohol limit.

"He has a great deal to regret as far as his miscalculation is concerned in this particular instance," said Mr Khan.

"He felt that he was fit and able to drive his car at that time."

Mr Khan said that although Higgins, a father-of-one, has a criminal record, the last time the sales rep was before a court was nine years ago.

Higgins works around the UK selling energy and boilers.

"Without a vehicle he is going to have to rely on public transport," said Mr Khan, who added that having no driving licence is also going to impact on his ability to take his daughter to her activities and curtail him giving regular lifts to his father, enabling him to visit a aunt in Denton, who has terminal cancer.

"A driving disqualification is going to have significant ramifications for Mr Higgins and his family," said Mr Khan.

Magistrates banned Higgins from driving for 20 months.

He was also fined £370 and ordered to pay £122 in costs and charges.