HE was twice the drink drive limit when caught behind the wheel and admitted driving more than a mile - yet this man is free to drive again today.

Tom Potter

HE was twice the drink drive limit when caught behind the wheel and admitted driving more than a mile - yet this man is free to drive again today.

South East Suffolk Magistrates decided not to ban supermarket manager Stephen Ball from the roads, instead giving him ten penalty points on his licence and fining him £500 after he admitted being in charge of a vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit.

Magistrates in Ipswich heard how Ball, 37, of Wilkinson Drive, Kesgrave, was arrested in a car park off Felixstowe Road, Martlesham Heath, on June 29.

Police spotted Ball in the driving seat of his parked Ford Mondeo at 12.25am. When he started the car's engine, officers stopped him and requested he perform a breath test, which indicated he was over the legal alcohol limit.

Ball was taken to Ipswich police station where he was found to be more than two times the legal limit, giving a reading of 89mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

- For more on this story see tonight's Evening Star.