ASHAMED businessman James Hogg is today banned from the roads and could lose his job – all because of drink driving.Hogg a sales representative who had to drive to make his living, pleaded guilty at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court to drink driving.

ASHAMED businessman James Hogg is today banned from the roads and could lose his job - all because of drink driving.

Hogg a sales representative who had to drive to make his living, pleaded guilty at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court to drink driving.

Police were alerted after his car left the road and ended up in a field.

The incident happened on March 17 but no one was injured and there were no other vehicles involved.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, said police officers could smell alcohol on Hogg's breath and he was taken to Woodbridge Police Station. He was found to have 88 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

Representing himself, Hogg, 39 of Rose Hill, Grundisburgh said: "I have not got an excuse and I am not here to offer one. I have thought long and hard why I behaved so irresponsibly and dangerously.

"I have never been in trouble before. I am a law-abiding person and I believe in the law, but, because I am honest, I have to accept what I have done.

"I regret it, I am ashamed and I am expecting to lose my job but that is my fault."

Hogg earned £21,000 a year as a sales representative but would not be able to do the job without a driving licence as he regularly made trips to London and other places.

Bench chairman David Broughton said: "We have reduced your sentence because you did plead guilty at the earliest opportunity."

Hogg will be disqualified from driving for 24 months but that will be cut by six months if he completes a driving rehabilitation course. If he does this then he will be allowed back on the road after September 22, 2005. He also has to work for 80 hours doing unpaid community work and must complete this within 12 months.