A man found to be more than double the drink drive limit at 11am admitted in court that at the time he couldn’t function in the morning without alcohol.

Ian Butterworth told Blackburn Magistrates' Court how on the morning of the offence on November 23 he had driven to Tesco and bought four cans of beer.

He stopped his Vauxhall Corsa and drank them because he didn’t want his wife to know.

Butterworth, 50, of Holden Wood Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 17 months.

The court heard how Butterworth, when stopped in Mercer Street, Haslingden, gave a reading of 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, against the legal limit of 35mcg.

Nicola Mills, prosecuting, said police were alerted by a member of the public who saw Butterworth emptying beer cans out of his car before driving off.

When the officer spoke to Butterworth he could immediately smell alcohol.

Butterworth, who was not represented, said at the time he was “consumed” by alcohol.

“I couldn’t function in the morning without having a drink,” he said.

“I bought the cans at Tesco and stopped 200 yards away from my house and drank them. I didn’t want my wife to know.”

Butterworth said he had been teetotal since the offence on November 21.

“It was a stupid act and I haven’t touched a drop since,” he added.