THE former owner of restaurant chain Joe Rigatonis crashed his vehicle into a bollard while more than three times over the legal drink-drive limit.

Paulo Arceri, of Bishopton Lane, Great Burdon, near Darlington, has been banned from driving for more than two years after admitting a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol, when he appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe on Thursday.

Arceri is currently setting up a new bar, Martha's Wine Cellar in the former Joe's Bar and Lounge, in the basement area of the Imperial buildings on Grange Road in Darlington, and the stress of this was in part to blame for his drinking, the court heard.

John Garside, prosecuting, said police were on patrol when they spotted a Fiat Ducato at the side of the road.

"The Ducato had left the road and banged into a bollard," he said.

"The defendant was found walking back to his home address.

"He provided two samples.

"He told police when interviewed that he had a few pints after a long day at work and had lost control of the vehicle.

"He left his car where it was and intended to walk home and sort it out in the daylight."

Jaxon Taylor, mitigating, said: "A vehicle was observed by police as being abandoned. Officers observed Mr Arceri on foot heading back to his home address.

"He is starting a bar and restaurant in Darlington and has been working very hard.

"There were other persons drinking with him and he made an extremely poor decision to drive home.

"It was to be a short journey in the early hours of Wednesday morning."

He said Arceri had some issues with alcohol and had received help and assistance over the last six years, with 'long periods of sobriety'.

Mr Taylor added: "He has been married for 28 years, has two adult children, but his relationship with his wife has broken down in the last 12 months and they are now separated.

"The stresses of that marital breakdown combined with the stresses of the new business have led to him consuming alcohol again."

He said the inevitable driving ban would "hit him hard" but asked for him to be able to take part in a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

Magistrates disqualified him for 26 months, with the option of a rehabilitation course to shorten the ban, and fined him £734. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £73 victim surcharge.