A DRINK driver is likely to be sacked from his job after he made the 'stupid' decision to drive home after a work barbecue, a court has heard.

Mark Gascoigne was stopped after police found he was driving his Range Rover in Cartmel without a valid MOT certificate and with a damaged tyre.

Tests later proved the 54-year-old was nearly double the alcohol limit 

The defendant admitted the three charges when he appeared before South Cumbria Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Peter Kelly said Gascoigne was stopped in the village on the night of April 19.

Mr Kelly told the court: "PC Jones was on uniform patrol at about 11.15pm near The Square in Cartmel.

"Checks of the vehicle resulted in him having some concerns about its MOT.

"The defendant was stopped and asked about the circumstances of his driving.

"He was asked to provide a roadside screening test which came back positive. 

"He was taken to the police station for another test."

The court heard Gascoigne had 68 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over the limit of 35.

The Range Rover had a tyre with had ply or cord exposed, a criminal offence, the court was told.

Mitigating, Liz Phizacklea said: "The vehicle had been returning from its MOT.

"It was stored at the yard where the defendant works.

"He made the stupid decision to take the vehicle home after a barbecue at his place of work."

She said he was likely to lose his job following the court appearance and would struggle without a driving licence.

"He lives in an extremely rural location and tells me he's at least five miles from a bus stop," she said.

"As a result of this conviction he's likely to lose his employment.

"Speaking to him, he shows a great deal of remorse, he's devastated that he finds himself here."

Sentencing the motorist, chair of the bench Mike Halshaw said: "It's a very serious matter and it was made worse by the fact that you had a vehicle that was for, all intents and purposes, unsafe."

Magistrates sentenced Gascoigne, of Wood Broughton near Cartmel, to a £400 fine and banned him from driving for 20 months.