A TEENAGER who blamed his drink driving on the cold weather has today been banned from driving for a year. Luke Osborne, 19, was also fined heavily after pleading guilty in South East Suffolk Magistrate's Court to drink driving during the early hours of the morning.

A TEENAGER who blamed his drink driving on the cold weather has today been banned from driving for a year.

Luke Osborne, 19, was also fined heavily after pleading guilty in South East Suffolk Magistrate's Court to drink driving during the early hours of the morning.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, told the court how he was pulled over by police officers at 3.25am on November 25 in Capel St Mary and when the officers spoke to Osborne they smelt alcohol on his breath.

He was breathalysed on the spot and was found to have 49 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

He later admitted to drinking three pints of beer over the course of the evening.

Osborne, of Brantham Hill, in Manningtree, said: “I don't know what possessed me to get in the car really, I was going to my mate's house and it was cold.”

District Judge Cooper banned him from driving for a year and ordered him to pay £200 in fines, £15 in victim surcharge and £65 court costs.

Judge Cooper said: “You've never been in trouble before and you've pleaded guilty straight away and spoken up for yourself well, but do not drive while you are disqualified because you will blow your chance of getting your licence back - whatever the temptations, just don't do it.”

The Evening Star's Name and Shame campaign will be highlighting drink-drivers who appear in court over the Christmas and New Year period - we aim to cover every case before south east Suffolk magistrates and will also aim to photograph those convicted of this anti-social crime.

Have you been the victim of a drink driver? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.