A MOTORIST caught drink driving twice in five days has been banned from being behind the wheel for three-years by magistrates.

Malcolm Paterson, 51, of Pemberton Road, Newton Aycliffe, admitted two drink driving offences and one count of possessing cannabis.

Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe also imposed an eight week jail sentence for the drink driving offences, suspended for a year.

He was also fined £165 plus £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Guy Prest said police were called to a house in Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, at 11.50pm on December 7 last year.

He said that the woman householder worked with Paterson’s sister and that Paterson had gone to her home despite problems between the pair.

The police found Paterson drunk and smelling of cannabis in his car. He was arrested and a breath test gave a reading of 62mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The limit is 35mg.

Then shortly after midnight on December 12 police officers stopped a car driven by Paterson after it was driven at speed in Newton Aycliffe. He gave a breath test of 71mg.

Alan Meehan, mitigating, said on December 7 Paterson had drunk two pints worth of beer over a long time and that while he was found in his car, he had not been driving and keys were in his pocket.

He said Paterson had drunk two pints before driving during the second incident.

Mr Meehan said many people believed they could drive after two pints but said Paterson had not learnt his lesson after the first offence.