A CHICKEN factory worker has been banned from the roads after being caught 'the morning after the night before'.

Sergiu Tinjala admitted one count of driving while over the alcohol limit when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in January.

Tinjala had been pulled over behind the wheel of a white Nissan Leaf on the A49 Greyfriars Bridge due to the manner of his driving on December 10, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

He was taken to Hereford police station after a positive roadside breath test, where an evidential test revealed he had 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

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Chris Read, for Tinjala, said it was a straightforward matter that saw the 47-year-old in court.

"It was the classic morning after the night before," Mr Read said.

"He had been drinking a significant amount of alcohol the night before, but had gone to bed and slept for six or seven hours and felt fine in the morning.

"He was making a short journey to the local shop when he was stopped."

The court heard Tinjala works for Avara Foods and will be able to continue to work.

"Luckily he is local enough that he can make arrangements, and worse case scenario is that he can walk to work, so his income should stay the same," Mr Read said.

Tinjala, who is of Chantry Court in Belmont, was fined £230 for the offence and disqualified from driving for 12 months. He must also pay costs of £135 and a £92 victim surcharge.

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