BIRTHDAY celebrations turned sour for a man who drove while three times over the legal limit.

BIRTHDAY celebrations turned sour for a man who drove while three times over the legal limit.

John Casewell was stopped by police in Grove Road, Woodbridge because he was driving a silver Alfa Romeo at 48 miles per hour in a 40 limit. Officers smelt alcohol on the 39-year-old's breath and a road side test proved positive South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard.

Casewell was found to have 104 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Casewell of Cranhurst Road, London pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol on November 22 at about 11 in the morning.

The court heard that on August 24 2004 Casewell was convicted of failing to provide a specimen of breath.

Caswell who represented himself at court said: “I made a very grave error in judgment. I was celebrating my birthday. I had far too much to drink”.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing for a full pre-sentence report to be prepared. Casewell was told to return to court on January 12 to be sentenced. He was banned from driving in the interim.