A DRINK driver who was nearly five times over the legal limit when he caused a crash on a main road in Warrington has been banned from driving for four years.

Silviu-Mihaita Vernica, of Villars Street, appeared in Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Prosecution for the case, Mr Woodward, told the court that on May 28, Vernica drove his car down Winwick Road after he had been drinking.

At around 7.40pm, Vernica crashed into another vehicle on the road and the driver reported the incident to Cheshire Police.

A breathalyser test showed that Vernica had been driving while nearly five times over the limit, with a reading of 170 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Defending, Mr Collingham told the court that the 34-year-old had been out drinking with his cousins and had made the ‘unfathomable’ decision to get behind the wheel of his car.

Vernica, who has been convicted of drink driving before, came to the UK from Romania when he was 14 and supports his mother, who still lives there, financially.

“Due to the seriousness of this offence, the danger to the public and the accident that you had, we feel that this case has crossed the custody threshold,” the magistrates said during sentencing.

“[But] we are going to suspend this sentence.”

Vernica was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, as well as ordered to complete 120 days alcohol monitoring and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

He was also suspended from driving for four years and ordered to pay a total £239.