A PUBGOER has been banned from the roads after his wife called police.

Benjamin Stapley entered a guilty plea to one count of drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in February.

Police had been sent to search for Stapley after a concern for his welfare had been raised on January 3, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

He was found and spoken to by officers in his local pub in Whitbourne, Herefordshire, which he had driven his Honda Jazz to, and was taken to the police station after failing a breath test.

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An evidential test in custody revealed that he had 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Chris Read, for Stapley, said the 52-year-old had been going through a very difficult time and that his wife had become concerned after he left home, making a call to police to report a concern for his welfare.

"He is found at the local pub, where he had ordered a double whisky and half a pint of beer and consumed at least part of that," Mr Read said.

However, he told the court, the amount Stapley had drunk at the pub was not enough to give such a reading.

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"He accepted in police interview that he had been drinking at home and had then gone to the pub, where he had a measure of alcohol but nowhere near enough to get that reading," Mr Read said.

The court heard a roads ban will make life difficult for Stapley and his family.

Stapley, who is of Bringsty, Worcestershire, was fined £576 and disqualified from driving for 17 months. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135 and a £230 victim surcharge.