A MAN who was found slumped over the wheel of his car after drinking a “couple of glasses of wine” has been banned from driving for 18 months.

Stuart Henderson, 35, pleaded guilty at Peterlee Magistrates Court to driving under the influence of alcohol.

David Maddison, prosecuting, said police were contacted by the ambulance service who found Henderson slumped and intoxicated over the wheel of a Nissan in Chester Road, Stanley, shortly after 1pm on March 26.

After his arrest, he told officers he had two glasses of wine to drink and had pulled over and fallen asleep when he fell ill.

Suzanne Hanson, mitigating, said: “He accepts that he had a few glasses of wine.

“He has fallen prey, as a lot of people do, (in that) most people don’t have little glasses in their house any more. It has been a couple of good-sized glasses of wine.

“He then believed he was fit to drive. He fell ill and pulled off the main road and fell asleep.”

She added: “He is very embarrassed to be before the court and mortified that he acted in this way.

“This is not his normal behaviour.

Henderson, who had 74mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, was ordered to pay £470 in fines and costs.