A Broughton man found asleep behind the steering wheel of his car on New Year’s Eve has been banned from driving for three years.

Defendant Mark Cleave, 51, was almost four times the drink drive limit.

He blew a reading of 138 microgrammes of alcohol compared to the legal limit of 35.

District Judge Gwyn Jones placed him on a 12 month community order with 200 hours unpaid work at Mold Crown Court.

He was ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 surcharge.

The judge warned him that he could have gone to prison for up to 26 weeks for such a high reading.

The court heard there were no other aggravating features, he was a man of good character and he had entered a timely guilty plea.

Cleave, of Main Road in Broughton, was seen by police at 7.45 p.m. in a Rover 25 parked in Boundary Lane in Saltney.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson said that officers were on routine patrol, saw the driver appeared to be asleep, and when approached he said he had drunk two glasses of wine.

Interviewed, he said that he had been in work as a ground worker in Chester, then called in the pub and had a couple of glasses of wine.

He felt unwell as he drove home and parked up.

Probation officer Pamela Roberts said that the defendant was aware that he had been a risk to other road users.

He had been in a relationship for 29 years, had two children aged 21 and 14 and had a degree in animal management.

The defendant had lost a previous job, that had caused financial pressures and he had worked as a ground worker for two years.

He had referred himself to the alcohol service CAIS.

David Matthews, defending, said that his client called for a drink after work, and said it was clear that drink had taken over his life at that stage because of financial pressures.

He felt unfit to drive as he drove home and pulled over - but fell asleep.

The defendant appreciated that his alcohol issues needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

He worked through an agency for a local authority in the public open spaces department and feared he may lose his job because of the disqualification.

The defendant was a man who was embarrassed and ashamed at his court appearance but who would face up to the reality of his situation.