A father on his way to help a friend who had broken down was found to be over the alcohol limit after being pulled over by police on the A338.

Marcin Piotr Milczarek admitted the charge of driving a vehicle on the A338 in Allington when his alcohol level was above limit when he appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Friday (July 22).

Prosecutor Kate Prince told the court that on July 3 at 2.45 in the morning police stopped a BMW being driven by the defendant.

She said this was not due to the manner of his driving but that police were investigating another matter which subsequently did not involve the Milczarek, of Groundwell Road, Swindon.

Officers believed he was under the influence of alcohol and the defendant gave a positive specimen of breath and was arrested then taken to the police station where he provided a lower reading of 83 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres.

The court heard he had a previous matter recorded against him from 2014 of failing to provide a specimen while in charge of a vehicle.

Matthew George, defending, said the 44-year-old factory worker had been staying locally and consumed alcohol the night before but had “no intention of driving” until he received a call for help from a friend who had broken down.

Mr George added it was “a mistake and a mistake that will see him disqualified from driving”.

He also told the court that an interpreter when he was convicted of the previous offence had told him he had been disqualified but had in fact been giving 10 points on his licence. Believing he had been disqualified the defendant sold his car and didn’t drive for a year.

The court disqualified him from driving for 17 months and ordered him to pay a fine of £300 in addition to a surcharge of £120 and court costs of £85.