AN IT consultant who was twice the drink-drive limit when he got behind the wheel of his car after celebrating his friend’s engagement has been disqualified from driving for 17 months.

Father-of-one Ben Levit, 22, was stopped by police while driving his Seat Leon in Eastcott Hill on May 29 on his way home to Cricklade Road.

It was when he did not indicate going around a roundabout and was driving at “excessive speed” that officers decided to pull him over and could smell alcohol on his breath.

“The defendant was stopped while driving in the early hours of May 29 at around 3.50am by a marked police van in Westcott Place,” said Michelle Hewitt, on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service.

“While he was driving he was not indicating going around the roundabout at Kingshill Road and was driving at excessive speed.

“Officers said his breath did smell of alcohol and a roadside breath test was carried out. Two more specimens were taken at the police station and the lowest reading was 75 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over twice the legal limit.”

Defending, Andrew Eddy said: “He has no previous convictions and has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

“The offence occurred when he drove to his friend’s house, some 15 minutes away. He was not intending to have a drink but his friends had got engaged and there was some drinking involved.

“He decided to stupidly drive from that address to his address. He doesn’t wish me to put forward any excuses at all. He realises what he’s done. He cooperated fully with the police.”

Appealing to the magistrates not to disqualify Levit from driving, Mr Eddy explained how Levit relies on his car for his job as an IT consultant and has to travel the country to train people.

He is also said that Levit is estranged with the mother of his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, who lives in Wales, but he has an arrangement in place to see the youngster every week, so losing his licence would significantly impact his life.

Two other charges of failing to surrender to court bail were dropped after the magistrates heard he had contacted the court by email to inform them he was not able to attend the hearing last Wednesday because of a significant work commitment, but the court did not put it on their records.

Chairman of the bench Viv Street said: “For this driving offence you are going to pay a fine of £275, £85 in costs and a victim surcharge of £30, in total that is £390.

“We are also going to disqualify you from driving for 17 months. It is very important you know how serious this offence will be to drive if you are disqualified.”