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A CHEF from Herefordshire was caught drink-driving after getting behind the wheel while over the legal alcohol limit, a court heard.

Iain Dixon was spotted by police officers as he drove his VW Polo through Hereford city centre, along the A44 and back to his home in Green Lane, Leominster.

He made it all the way home before he was arrested and taken into custody.

Prosecutor Beth Owen said he provided a breath sample and was found to have 57 microgrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mg.

“He had six pints of beer after an argument with his partner,” said Ms Owen. “He then had two non-alcoholic drinks before driving home.”

Dixon, who is 37 and works as a chef, admitted a charge of driving with an alcohol level above the legal limit.

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Chris Read, mitigating, said Dixon had received “distressing news” before he went to a pub to drink. After drinking alcohol, he went to his car and slept for six hours, then drove to another pub and had two soft drinks.

“He did analyse it as best as he could,” said Mr Read, adding that Dixon thought the alcohol was out of his system.

Dixon was given a one-year driving ban, a £461 fine, and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £181 victim surcharge.