Burnley drink-driver stopped by suspicious police after doing just 30mph on the motorway

Meat factory worker Dimitar Valkov was spotted by police who thought he was doing about 30mph. They followed him and he stopped. Officers noticed straight away his eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred. Valkov was unsteady on his feet.

Burnley magistrates were told how the 40-year-old defendant blew 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the police station. The legal limit is 35. He had no previous convictions.

Miss Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, told the hearing the defendant was seen on the M65 at 9.20am. He was the only person in the BMW.

She continued: "The speed of the vehicle, in their reckoning, was 30mph. The concern is always the risk of an accident when travelling at low speed on a motorway. He mentioned the journey was to visit a mechanic."

Valkov, who is from Bulgaria, was not represented by a solicitor. He was given a chance to speak about the offence by the court clerk and replied, through an interpreter: " What else can I say?"

The defendant, of Waterbarn Street in Burnley, admitted driving with excess alcohol on Princess Way in the town on April 6. He was fined £270 with £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge and was banned for 20 months.