KEITH Latham was three times the legal drink driving limit when he crashed head on with another car as he drove to care for his sick daughter, a court was told.

But he escaped a prison sentence, despite it being his third drink-related driving conviction in the last 10 years, after magistrates heard he would lose his job and his home if he was jailed.

Latham, 38, of Pemberton House, Roe Lee, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, without insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

He was ordered to complete 100 hours community punishment and put on a community rehabilitation order for 18 months.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay £45 costs.

Latham, who gave a reading of 105 against the legal limit of 35, agreed to be referred to the drink drivers rehabilitation programme.

Joanne Shahzada, prosecuting, said a man was driving along Whitebirk Road when he saw another car coming towards him on the wrong side of the road.

He braked hard but there was a head-on collision.