A WINSFORD man has avoided jail despite getting behind the wheel of a car while almost five times the drink-drive limit.

David Parkinson, of Proudman Way, was driving a Ford Fiesta in his home street when he was caught on March 24 earlier this year.

A breathalyser revealed the 50-year-old had 159 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of his breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Parkinson appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on April 16 where he pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was handed an interim ban.

Returning to court for sentencing on May 16, magistrates handed him an 18-week jail term, suspended for 18 months.

The court heard the offence was so serious, with the defendant's 'exceptionally high' alcohol level, that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

Parkinson was also ordered to complete six months of alcohol treatment and up to 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

The bench the disqualified him from driving for five years, starting from the date the interim ban was imposed.

Finally, Parkinson was ordered to pay costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £85 and a surcharge of £154.