A DRINK driver who was more than twice the limit was caught after police were tipped off by somebody who had seen him driving away from a Carlisle pub.

Kieran Bell, 31, who was jailed for a similar offence nine years ago, was caught after he agreed to deliver somebody’s order from a mobile food van that operates out of pub’s car park, Carlisle's Rickergate court heard.

He pleaded guilty to drink driving.

George Shelley, prosecuting, said police received a call shortly before 8pm on October 5 from somebody reporting a suspected drink driver seen driving away from Carlisle's Arroyo Arms car park on Edgehill Road, Harraby.

Police located the defendant driving his white Audi on Dalston Road, where they administered a roadside breath test, which produced a positive result.

The evidential sample at the police station confirmed that Bell, of Rashdall Road, Carlisle, had 82mcg of alcohol in every 100mls of breath. The legal limit for driving is 35mcg.

The court heard that Bell has 26 previous offences on his record, but nothing since 2014, when he was jailed for 14 months for drink driving.

John Smith, defending, said the defendant had turned his life around after the conviction, abandoning his previous life of crime and finding well paid work as a roofer. On the day in question, he was the only person in the car, said the lawyer.

Mr Smith said: “There’s a mobile fast food place in the car park [of the pub]. He was asked to deliver someone’s order to an address at Fairybeck Gardens.”

The defendant told magistrates his work involves travelling across the country to locations such as Blackpool, but his co-worker could do the driving if he was banned.

Lead magistrate Alan Cottingham told Bell: “When you were younger, you were a bit of a bad lad. You have a number of convictions, and you even went to prison.

"Then, suddenly, in 2014, you seemed to turn your life around.”

The magistrate said references spoke highly of Bell as a worker and as a family man. Noting that the alcohol reading was high, they imposed a 40-month driving ban, saying that it could have been higher.

They also fined him £580, with £85 costs and a £232 victim surcharge. The magistrate added: “It’s just a shame to see you here after you’ve done so well.”