A MOTORIST who was caught behind the wheel almost four times the legal drink-drive limit has been sent to prison.

Mark Calder was also found to be driving under the influence of alcohol on two other separate occasions.

In addition, the 38-year-old, of Orford, assaulted a police officer and drove wile disqualified.

He was charged with three counts of drink driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, assault by beating of an emergency worker and obstructing a police officer.

The defendant appeared to be sentenced at Chester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February 16, where he was told custody was inevitable.

Aaron Smith, prosecuting, told the court how the first drink driving offence occurred on July 16 when he was driving a Vauxhall Astra on Moulders Lane in the town centre.

Calder produced a breath test reading of 131 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath – almost four times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

More offences were committed on January 20 this year when he was again caught drink driving in Whitley Bay in North Tyneside, this time blowing 127 micrograms.

When stopped, he obstructed a police officer in the execution of his duty and assaulted him.

A third set of offences occurred on February 15 this year, where Calder was again caught drink driving on Lovely Lane, registering over the 35-microgram limit with 40 micrograms.

He did so while driving a while Isuzu truck – while disqualified at the time and without a licence permitting him to drive a vehicle of that class.

Appearing in court the next day, where he pleaded guilty to all offences, magistrates commented that the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

This was due to the defendant having a ‘flagrant disregard for court orders’, having relevant previous convictions and the fact that he was involved in collisions through the offences.

Calder, of Fisher Avenue, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, disqualified from driving for 1,916 days and ordered to pay compensation of £100 to the officer he assaulted.