A DRINK driver who urged a judge to cut his ban has lost a fight to be back on the road by the end of the year.

Father of four Patrick Quigley, 45, claimed his drink had been spiked but told Burnley Crown Court he had no evidence to back up his claim.

He said his driving licence was essential for his work.

Quigley, who was almost twice the limit, lost his appeal against sentence.

He had earlier been disqualified for 18 months and fined £100, after admitting driving with excess alcohol before Hyndburn magistrates.

Judge Raymond Bennett, sitting with two justices, said 18 months was the length of ban recommended in magistrates' guidelines for his breath test reading.

He added the bench was satisfied the lower court was right to impose the 18-month ban and none of the appellant's arguments to reduce it enabled the court to feel it could interfere with it.

Neil Standage, for the Crown, said Quigley, of Manor Road, Clitheroe, was stopped by the police at around 11.40pm on Harwood Lane, Great Harwood, last May.

Officers noticed he smelled of drink, a roadside breath test proved positive. The lower of two samples taken at the police station showed 66 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath -- the legal limit is 35.

Mr Standage said Quigley told police he had only had two beer shandies.

The appellant told the court he had always been self employed and had probably driven more than a million miles. He had never had an accident.