A FARMER has been banned from the roads after he was seen stumbling to his car in Hereford's Kwik Fit car park.

Alexander Nicholas admitted drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in November.

Police were called to reports of a man stumbling and attempting to get into a red Mitsubishi pickup in Hereford's Kwik Fit car park in Blueschool Street on October 22.

Officers who arrived at the scene said Nicholas was very compliant and provided a roadside breath test, which returned a positive result.

The court heard he was arrested and taken into custody at Hereford police station, where an evidential breath test revealed he had 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

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Chris Read, for Nicholas, said the 24-year-old, who has no previous convictions, had gone for a night out in Hereford with friends on the date of the offence.

"He was seen stumbling by a CCTV operator and that was passed on to the police," Mr Read said.

"Police saw him exiting the car park. He was cooperative with officers and entered a timely guilty plea today."

The court heard Nicholas lives and works on his family's farm.

Nicholas, who is of Llanvair Green, Abergavenny, was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 18 months and fined £400. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135 and a £160 victim surcharge.

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