A SWINDON motorist who had so much to drink he could not provide a specimen of breath after being stopped by police has been banned from driving for 20 months.

Lee Andrew Mark Fry, 31, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court to failing to provide a specimen on June 17, to taking a vehicle without consent, to having no insurance and to a breach of a conditional discharge.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the magistrates that the police were called to Carr Street car park at 3.40am after a witness saw a VW Lupo collide with a stationary vehicle.

A roadside breath test proved positive but at the police station Fry failed to provide a specimen of breath.

When interviewed later Fry said the car belonged to his niece and he had taken it without her knowledge.

Defending, Richard Williams said Fry was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed earlier this year for being in possession of two Xbox controllers stolen in a burglary.

The controllers were for his own use and he had not been involved in the burglary, Mr Williams told the magistrates.

On the night of June 16 Fry had been out in town with friends. He had no good reason to take his niece’s car and could not remember doing so, but he accepted responsibility.

He was reversing in the car park when his foot slipped and he collided with the other car, Mr Wiliams said.

A report by the probation service said Fry had been too drunk to provide a specimen at the police station. He did not have an issue with alcohol but the incident was a wake-up call and he did not want to be in the same situation ever again.

The magistrates disqualified Fry from driving for 20 months and issued a community order requiring him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and attend 10 rehabilitation activity days. He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and prosecution costs of £85.