A DRINK-DRIVER was caught out in Hereford with a small child in his car after visiting friends.

Bruno Miguel Maia De Araujo admitted drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

Police had stopped him in his Volkswagen Polo in Hereford's Edgar Street at 9.20pm on June 10, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

Maia De Araujo, who had been travelling with a small child in the passenger seat, was asked to take a roadside breath test after police noted he smelled of alcohol, and was arrested after failing it.

An evidential breath test in custody revealed he had 53 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

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Chris Read, for Maia De Araujo, said the 35-year-old had been at a friend's home earlier that evening and had drunk alcohol while there, having no intention of getting behind the wheel.

But, he said, his wife had arrived at the friend's house and dropped their child off with him as she had to go to work.

"So he found himself looking after his son," Mr Read said.

"He left the house and met a friend at a cafe before going home. Although he had drunk alcohol, he felt enough time had passed that the coffee would have brought him below the limit."

The court heard Maia De Araujo works at the Avara factory in Hereford and will be able to continue to work as he has friends who can give him lifts.

Maia De Araujo, of South Street, Leominster, was disqualified from driving for 14 months and fined £350. He must also pay costs of £135 and a £35 victim surcharge.