A NIGHT shift worker has been banned from the roads after he was seen swerving across the A49 and braking for no reason.

Zygmunt Baranowski pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to provide a specimen when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

A police community support officer had followed Baranowski's car on the A49 at Harewood End after spotting it being driven in an 'unusual manner', swerving across the road and braking when there was no reason to do so, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

Baranowski was pulled over and asked three times for a breath sample at the roadside, with the help of an interpretor, but failed to provide a sufficient sample each time.

George Cousins, for Baranowski, said the 60-year-old had been driving to Ross-on-Wye for a night shift when he was stopped.

In a statement read out to the court by his solictor, Baranowski said he had been suffering from a headache before going to work that day.

"I then decided I should go home because I felt bad and then I was stopped," he said.

"I did try to give a breath sample, but for whatever reason, I was unable to do so."

Mr Cousins said there had been no mention of him behaving in a drunken manner and that he was very upset to find himself in court.

"He says he had not been drinking at all," Mr Cousins said.

Baranowski, of Whitecross Road, Hereford, was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £100. He must also pay a £34 victim surcharge.