A drink driver who was nearly four times the legal limit says he got behind the wheel because he could not be bothered to walk to the park.

Andrei Baroi, 34, of Stonefield Close, Eastleaze, pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of alcohol at Swindon Magistrates Court on November 27.

The court heard from Mr Ballinger, prosecuting, that Baroi was seen swerving in a VW Polo on Ferndale Road at around quarter past five on November 10 by a member of the public, who reported it to police.

Officers found the vehicle parked at the side of the road with Baroi in the driver’s seat and a roadside breathalyser test indicated he had consumed alcohol that day.

The evidential test in custody revealed he had 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, despite the legal limit being 35 and he told officers he had drank some wine prior to driving.

In mitigation, Mr Glendenning, defending, explained Baroi was apologetic and wanted to relax by going for a drive and felt fit to get behind the wheel, although he suspected the amount of alcohol Baroi had consumed gave him “false confidence.”

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His roadside breath test recorded 104 and Mr Glendenning suggested his rising reading in custody showed he had drank the alcohol close to when he decided to drive.

Mr Williams from the probation service said Baroi told him during an interview that he only had two glasses of wine and decided to go to the park on foot, before returning to collect the car and drive a short distance to the park.

He also said that Baroi had a bottle of alcohol present in the car when he was arrested but denied drinking it behind the wheel and said the bottle was waiting to be disposed of.

Mr Williams added that Baroi did demonstrate genuine remorse but the offence was committed out of “laziness” and he said the prospect of prison was the “worst thing ever” and he would lose his job and accommodation.

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Mr Williams added: “In my view, he gave no thought to the consequences of his actions.”

The Magistrate told Baroi: “This is a very high reading and you posed a very serious risk to other road users.”

He was issued a 12 month community order with up to 10 rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Baroi was also disqualified from driving for 29 months and ordered to pay a surcharge of £114 and prosecution costs of £85, totalling £199.

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