FEARING there were intruders at a site in Lyneham he was responsible for guarding, a security boss jumped behind the wheel of his Aston Martin to assist his colleagues, despite having been drinking the night before.

James Laytham, 32, of Ravensdale, East Wichel, pleaded guilty to driving the personalised 007-plate Aston Martin on the A3102 at Royal Wootton Bassett on July 7, despite being more than double the drink drive limit when he appeared in the dock.

Crown prosecutor Pauline Lambert told the bench at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning that police had received a tip-off at around 10am that Laytham was driving the Aston Martin while under the influence of alcohol.

"Police were dispatched to the area and located him on the High Street," she said. "They stopped him and spoke to him and noticed the smell of alcohol. A roadside breathtest was carried out and failed. He was taken to Swindon custody where the station intoxilyzer recorded a lowest reading of 89 in breath."

The legal driving limit is 35mcgs of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

At the time of his arrest, officers from Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade police took to social media to share the reading from the roadside breathtest, which they recorded as being 112mcgs.

She also explained that in 2006 he had been banned for 12 months by magistrates in Hounslow for a similar offence, although as this was more than 10 years ago it would not impact upon his sentence for this latest offence.

Representing himself in court, Laytham told the magistrates: "I would like to firstly express my deep regret and remorse for my actions.

"I own a security company, we provide a static guard at Lyneham. I received a call that morning saying there had been intruders on site so I went up they to give some back up to my officer. My mistake being that I had been out the previous night with some friends."

Sentencing him, the magistrates question his monthly income of £1500, asking how he could afford an Aston Martin, to which he responded that the car was on finance.

The bench fined him £346, reduced from £519 in light of his guilty plea, and ordered he pay £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service along with a £34 victim surcharge.

He was disqualified from driving for 20 months, although this will be reduced if he completes a drink drivers' awareness course.

Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade police have urged people to come forward if they suspect anyone of being drunk behind the wheel of a vehicle.

A spokesman said: "Anyone wishing to report an incident of drink/drug driving should call Wiltshire Police on 101 and select option 4 for the Drink Drive Hotline.

"In an emergency, dial 999.

"If you have any information about drink/drug driving you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

"No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court."