A DRINK-DRIVER almost four times the limit had struck for the second time, Burnley Magistrates heard.

The court was told how former joiner Jason Salisbury, 30, had been drinking too much after he and his girlfriend split. He believed he was below the limit, although a breath test later revealed 134 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath - the legal limit is 35.

The defendant, who has a previous conviction for drink-driving and who has lost his job because of his actions, admitted driving with excess alcohol and using an uninsured vehicle, on April 4.

Salisbury, of Carlton Street, Nelson, was banned for three years and given a 12-month community rehabilitation order to include the drink-impaired drivers' programme. He must also pay £50 costs.

The bench, who had warned him he could be facing jail, added the reading was "quite remarkable".

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, told the court a police officer had spoken to the defendant about an unrelated incident earlier in the evening and noticed he was drinking.

He later saw him driving and stopped him because of what he had seen before. The defendant co-operated with police and was arrested and taken to the police station after a positive roadside breath test. Mr Gaffney said in 1996, Salisbury was banned for 22 months for a drink-driving offence.

Richard Taylor, defending, said at the beginning of the year, Salisbury was living with his partner, had a job and everything seemed to be going fine.

He had been drinking far too much over the week before he was arrested.

He did not believe he was over the limit and would have been foolhardy to get behind the wheel if he thought he was.