A MAN who was spotted driving erratically along the A303 at South Petherton earned himself a three-year driving ban after being found over the drink drive limit for the second time in a year.

Kenneth Kearney had a previous conviction for drink driving in April 2015 when police received a tip-off that his Citroen Berlingo had been seen being driven between Cartgate and South Petherton and had stalled at a junction.

Officers followed the vehicle for half a mile and saw it wandering all over the dual carriageway and when they pulled the driver over he failed a breath test at the roadside.

Kearney, of Plowman Close, Edmonton, admitted driving a vehicle after consuming excess alcohol and driving it without insurance at South Petherton on May 7 when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil.

Emma Lenanton, prosecuting, said that after receiving information that the van was being driven erratically on the A303 they saw it at around 9.25pm approaching a roundabout heading eastbound.

“It stalled at a junction and was then followed by the police who saw it wandering all over the dual carriageway and crossing the central white line,” she said.

“They stopped the vehicle and Kearney identified himself, smelt of alcohol and confirmed he had been drinking.”

He failed a roadside breath test and was arrested and at the police station he took a further test which produced a reading of 48mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol.

They also discovered he had no insurance and further enquiries showed he had a previous conviction for drink driving from last year leaving him liable to a minimum three year disqualification.

Kearney told the court that he was very sorry for what happened and knew he should not have done it.

“It was a stupid thing to do and I had two cans of beer before driving,” he said.

The magistrates imposed the three year disqualification and fined him £120 for drink driving along with a £30 victim surcharge. No separate penalty was imposed for the insurance offence.