Burnley man caught behind the wheel while banned and more than twice drink drive limit faces court

Arnold Imbre was followed by police at about 7.40pm, but got out of his vehicle and tried to make off.

He was tracked down and was found to smell of alcohol. The 31-year- old blew 91 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the roadside and apologised, telling officers he was an alcoholic. He then gave a sample showing 83 micrograms at the police station. The legal limit is 35, a court heard.

Burnley magistrates were told the defendant, who is from Romania, had been ordered off the road for 30 months, for drink-driving, in July last year.

After the bench disqualified him for a second time, now for 40 months, a family member told them he wanted to go go-karting.

Imbre said: " I do love driving.”

The defendant, who was not represented by a solicitor, said he knew he had made a mistake. He said he was still going to Inspire ( the alcohol treatment service) and told the Bench: " I know it was bad. It was more emotional because my grandma is about to die.

"I’m aware of what I did and I know it was a terrible mistake. It won’t be happening again.”

A probation officer, who interviewed the defendant, said he had been doing exceptionally well on his current sentence. The officer continued: " He has been addressing alcohol use.

"He has massively reduced his alcohol consumption. He’s now at a point where he needs support by way of a detox."

Imbre, of Lower Tentre, Burnley, admitted driving whilst disqualified, driving with excess alcohol and not having insurance, on Colne Road, Brierfield, on November 1st. He was given a 12-month community order, with a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement and fined £50, with £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.