A 64 year-old Mitcheldean man has been sentenced to a ten week suspended jail term and a three year driving ban after he admitted being at the wheel with more than three and a half times the legal alcohol limit on his breath.

Magistrates at Cheltenham also ordered Robert Raado of Stenders Court, Mitcheldean, to abstain from drinking alcohol for 120 days.

He was ordered to pay £304 in fines and costs. Raado admitted that on 9th July last year he drove a Vauxhall Vectra on the A40 at Birdwood when he had 128mcgs of alcohol on his breath.

The legal limit is 35mcgs.

The magistrates suspended the ten week jail term for a year and ordered Raado to take part in up to 20 days of rehabilitation activities as required by his supervising officer.

Raado was told he can have his driving ban reduced by 36 weeks if he successfully completes an approved driving course at his own expense by Boxing Day next year.