A MAN has been fined £400 and banned from driving for a minimum of nine months after he was caught driving almost three times the drink-drive limit in Irvine.

Robert Wawrzyniec Witkowski, of Bradbury Glebe in Irvine, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

He pleaded guilty to being over the drink-drive limit and to driving without a valid MOT certificate.

The court heard that at around 1pm on June 11, police officers on mobile patrol carried out a routine search of a Toyota which was being driven by Witkowski southbound on Riverway.

Officers found that the MOT on Witkowski’s vehicle had expired on March 3.

When speaking to Witkowski, 41, police officers detected “a strong smell of alcohol”. He subsequently failed a roadside breath test.

The court heard that Witkowski was found to have 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit in Scotland is 22 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Defending Witkowski, solicitor Neil McPherson, said: “There’s no excuse for driving over the limit.

“There was quite a lot of alcohol consumed over a brief period.

“He has been in this country for about 10 years and he intends to stay here.

“I’ve explained to him that he will be disqualified.”

Mr McPherson added that his client was in full-time employment at a roofing company and that he had offered to pay a fine.

He also suggested that Witkowski would be suitable for a drink-drive rehabilitation scheme, adding: “but that’s a matter for his Lordship”.

Sheriff Craig Harris told Witkowski: “In relation to charge one, you will be disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence for 12 months.

“This would have been 15 months but I’m willing to take into account that you’ve pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.”

The sheriff offered to reduce Witkowski’s driving ban by three months if he successfully completed a drink-drive rehabilitation course.

He also fined him £400, payable at £20 per month from July 6.

For the second charge of driving without an appropriate MOT certificate, Sheriff Harris admonished and dismissed Witkowski