A MAN has been sentenced for causing a crash when driving a quad bike while nearly twice over the legal alcohol limit.

Jamie Proctor, of Haggs Lane in Cartmel, pleaded not guilty to drink driving on April 4 but was convicted in his absence at a trial on May 23.

At his sentencing hearing on June 4 at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court, the court was told how the 27-year-old had been driving a Yamaha quad bike on an unnamed road near Stone Lea in Cartmel after consuming 152 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit for driving is 80 milligrammes.

The court heard the offence was the defendant’s third similar offence since September 2020.

As a result, magistrates said only a custodial sentence could be justified due to the defendant having an ‘unacceptable standard of driving, previous relevant convictions’ and for causing a road traffic collision.

However, they said they were willing to suspend the sentence due to the defendant having a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation' and being 'willing to work' with the Probation Service and other agencies to address his alcohol issues.

He received an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months with one requirement of completing a six-month alcohol treatment rehabilitation order.

Proctor was also disqualified from driving for 40 months, as well as being ordered to pay £300 in court costs and a £154 surcharge.