A 60-year-old man was nearly three times the drink-drive limit when he was prevented from moving his Citroen from one car park to another, a court heard.

James Hunt, of Dickens Road, Ipswich, made several attempts to get round a member of the door staff from the Robert Ransome pub who was blocking his way.

Hunt pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Lesla Small said the offence occurred at around 8.15pm on April 15.

One of the security staff at the Robert Ransome near Electric House became aware of Hunt leaving the pub after consuming five or six pints of Strongbow cider.

He thought Hunt was going to a car park and followed him.

Hunt got into a green Citroen Xsara with a taxi sign on the windscreen.

The doorman stood in front of the car and put his hand up as it was about to go on to the road.

Ms Small said initially the vehicle stopped, but then Hunt tried to drive around the doorman.

The doorman persisted in standing in front of the Citroen and managed to contact a police officer, who arrested Hunt.

However, the court was told by the time Hunt was detained he had tried to drive around the doorman several times, before parking the car and trying to walk away.

A breath test showed he had 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

Magistrates heard Hunt told police he had consumed four pints of cider before he decided to move his vehicle from the car park behind The Cricketers pub to the car park at the rear of Manor Ballroom.

He added he had not been sure what was going on when the doorman blocked his path.

Hunt, representing himself, told the court: “I did realise after a while what he was trying to do.”

He said he had no intention of driving any further than the car park he intended to travel to.

He told magistrates: “It was a stupid thing in hindsight.”

Hunt was disqualified from driving for 25 months and given a 12-month community order with 150 hours’ unpaid work.

In addition he must pay £85 costs and £85 to the victims’ fund.