A young motorist who moved his girlfriend's car to a better parking spot after a night out in Penrith was over the drink drive limit.

Jamie O'Brien, 25, of Trinity Way, Keswick, had driven only 100 yards when he was stopped by the police, breathalysed, and found to be over the drink drive limit, Carlisle's magistrates heard.

In court this week, he admitted drink driving and was given an 15-month driving ban along with a £275 fine.

Prosecutor Pam Ward told the court how O'Brien was caught at around 1am on Sunday, June 5, as he drove away from Penrith Cricket Club.

The car he was in was being driven erratically, and its lights were not switched on. “When the driver [O'Brien] got out he was unsteady on his feet, and his eyes were glazed,” said Mrs Ward.

A breath-test later showed the defendant had 63mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

The legal limit is 35mg. Margaret Payne, for O'Brien, said he was a man of previous good character, who had held a full driving licence for eight years without incident.

She said: “It was his girlfriend's car and fairly new.

“He had been to the local cricket club for an 18th birthday party and he was concerned about leaving the car there and so decided to move it to a car park 120 yards up the road.

"He'd driven about 100 yards when the police saw him.

“He had only another 15 or 20 yards to go.” In addition to the find and ban, District Judge Gerald Chalk ordered O'Brien to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.

He was also offered a drink driver rehabilitation course, which if completed in time will earn him a 15-week reduction in his driving ban.