A drink-driver who was nearly four times the legal alcohol limit has been spared jail.

Shaun Wilson, 46, had denied driving with excess alcohol, but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court.

A woman alerted police to Wilson when he drove into Samuel Court, Ipswich, in his Ford Fiesta on December 13.

She first saw Wilson, of Warwick Drive, Maldon, at just before 9.15pm. Wilson drove off but returned. The woman picked his keys up and there was a tussle before police arrived.

A breath test showed he had 133 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

Magistrates sentenced Wilson to 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. He was disqualified from driving for 32 months and given an eight-week curfew from 6pm to 6am. He must also pay a total of £365.