A 60-year-old man has been banned for driving for 60 months and ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work after driving at nearly two and a half times the legal limit.

Rajinder Kumar, of Marconi Close, Coventry will also have to pay £249 in costs after being found guilty of drink driving and driving without a licence at Warwickshire Magistrates in Leamington Spa on Friday (23 June).

Several members of the public called the police after spotting Kumar driving erratically on the A46 southbound near London Road on the outskirts of Coventry on Saturday 3 June during the 4pm rush hour.

Officers attended and saw him swerving from lanes one to three before hitting the central reservation. 

Kumar was arrested at the scene and provided a positive sample of breath at nearly two and a half times the legal limit. 

Whilst in custody, further enquiries revealed his driving licence had expired in 2018 and he was further arrested for driving without a licence. He was charged the next day.

SC Matt Mcleod said "There is no doubt that Rajinder Kumar and everyone else driving on the A46 near Coventry that day had a lucky escape. Fortunately he collided with the central reservation, but it could have been much worse if he had collided with another vehicle.

"Road safety is not down to luck. Individuals who drive a motor vehicle whilst over the prescribed limit of alcohol are a blight on society, raising insurance premiums and endangering the lives of innocent members of the public.

"Positive action must be taken in order to send a message to those that think it is acceptable and in order to protect people from harm.

"We thank the members of the public who made us aware of the incident on that day, possibly preventing the incident from being much worse."