A DRIVER seen drifting his car onto the wrong side of the road was two and half times over the drink-drive limit after drinking into the early hours.

Jared Simpson, 28, admitted he had spent the evening at a friend’s house on November 3 before getting behind the wheel of his Audi A4 on Saturday, November 4.

The self-employed central heating contractor was stopped by police officers on Thompson Street West, in Darlington, after noticing the white Audi at around 3am.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday that Simpson, of Crosby Street, Darlington, had decided he was safe to drive and was two streets away from home.

John Turner, defending Simpson, said: “He was at a friend’s house and he was driving home and it is the case that he had consumed some cans of alcohol and he did wonder if he was over the limit.”

The court was told that in July 2014, Simpson failed to stop after a road traffic accident and failed to report the incident to the police.

However, Simpson’s solicitor he stated no one was injured in the incident and it was reported to police outside the required 24-hour time limit.

Ansab Shan prosecuting, said: “The defendant was stopped on November 4, at three o’clock in the early hours due to his driving being described as ‘erratic’ by the traffic officer.

“He’s been seen to cross over the central line and drift across lanes.”

Mr Turner said his client had been self-employed for three years, but would struggle to work without his driving licence.

He said: “It seems that he has a number of contracts he’ll be able to do by getting someone to drive him there and back, but he might work 12 to 13 hours a day because he’ll only have a driver first thing and at the end of the day.

“Because he’s self-employed, he’s required to go to suppliers and people’s homes and it’s going to be impossible without a licence – in his profession, a licence is required and he couldn’t rely on others giving him a lift.

“He’s a man of good character and comes from an ordinary background.”

Simpson was handed a £667 fine and banned from driving for 23 months.

He must also pay £66 court costs and £85 victim surcharge.