A DRINK-driver has been banned after he was caught veering across a busy Herefordshire road in the early hours of Christmas morning.

Stephen McElhill admitted one count of drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in January.

Police had spotted McElhill driving a Subaru on Ross-on-Wye's Wilton Road at 12.30am on Christmas morning, prosecutor Mark Hambling told the court.

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He had been crossing the white centre line, before veering across the road, the court was told.

McElhill, who has no previous convictions, was stopped due to the manner of his driving and was arrested after failing a roadside breath test.

An evidential breath test in custody revealed that he had 96 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Hereford Times:

Magistrates ordered a pre-sentencing report, which was not read out in court, to be carried out by the probation service.

McElhill, who is of Rope Walk, Ross-on-Wye, was handed a 12-month community order and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 24 months.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135 and a £114 victim surcharge.

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