A DRINK-driver got behind the wheel after finding out his mother had only months to live, a court heard.

Daniel Miller was spotted by police driving his Ford Fiesta at about 100mph along the A55 close to Northop Hall at 11pm on October 16.

He was then seen by officers turning off at the last moment towards Hawarden and Buckley where he then drove slowly around a roundabout before then speeding up.

Officers approached him in a vehicle but they were worried he was trying to drive off and blocked his way whereupon an officer removed the keys from his ignition.

Miller, 41, who appeared at North East Wales Magistrates Court from custody, agreed to a roadside test and gave a reading of 81mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath before a later test at 1.15am gave a reading of 65mg. The legal limit is 35mg.

Laura Preston-Hayes, defending, told the Mold court her client had "an awful lot of problems, including significant depression and social phobias".

She said the "trigger" for his actions had been the news that his mother had been to see a cardiac specialist that day and been told she had 11 months to live.

"He could not handle it and turned to alcohol to cope with the news," she added.

Noting it was Miller's second alcohol-related driving offence in the last 10 years, district judge Gwyn Jones disqualified him from driving for 36 months.

Miller, of Llwyn Onn, Gwaenysgor, Flintshire, was also fined £200 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and £85 costs.