PART-TIME taxi driver Stephen Brennan, is banned from the road today after accepting a passenger despite being over the legal drink-drive limit.Brennan, 52, of Avocet Mews, Rendlesham admitted drink driving after being stopped at 2.

PART-TIME taxi driver Stephen Brennan, is banned from the road today after accepting a passenger despite being over the legal drink-drive limit.

Brennan, 52, of Avocet Mews, Rendlesham admitted drink driving after being stopped at 2.50am on Monday, December 29.

He was found to have 64 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, nearly double the legal limit of 35mcgs.

Gareth Davies, prosecuting, told South East Suffolk Magistrates Court that Brennan had been in the Green Man pub in Tunstall. He had been attending a leaving party and had a "couple of drinks" but then drove his green Volkswagen Passat car.

He worked as a taxi driver at weekends and had collected a passenger but was stopped by police officers on Redwald Road as he was driving "slowly and in a deliberately manner".

Representing himself, Brennan said: "I'm an adult and I understand what I have done.

"I do not believe I was driving slowly and I was fully co-operative with the police."

Brennan, who sat through the court hearing with his head in his hands, said his wife of 30 years had recently left him.

He added that he had been offered a job as a highways inspector but could not now take it because of losing his licence.

He said: "I was due to start at a new job at Ipswich Borough Council and obviously that won't happen now.

"I am very sorry. This is the first time I have been in a court and the first time I have ever broke the law and I regret it."

Bench chairwoman Sue Humphries said: "I am sure you know that we have no other choice but to ban you."

She added that his 16-month ban would be reduced to 12 months if he took part in a driver rehabilitation course.

Brennan was also ordered to pay a £150 fine and £50 court costs within two months.