THREE motorists caught drink-driving on the same December weekend in the Chester area have each received driving bans.

Kevin Peter Mearns, 35, Amie Jane Piper, 25 and William Stokes, 20, all appeared separately at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, January 3, with each pleading guilty at the first opportunity to drink-driving.

Prosecuting, Rob Youds told the court Mearns, of Cavendish Street, Birkenhead, had been seen at the Hoole Way Roundabout early on December 15 driving the wrong way in his Audi A3 up a one-way street to get to Frodsham Street.

He provided a reading of 58 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35.

He had four previous convictions, including one for drug-driving in March 2017.

Defending, Howard Jones said Mearns had been on a works Christmas night out and had made for home. Following several hours sleep, he received a call from a work colleague needing a lift at about 3.30am-4am.

Mearns "felt OK to drive" but got lost in Chester.

Magistrates handed Mearns a 38-month driving ban and he was ordered to pay costs totalling £417.

Mr Youds said in Piper's case, she was spotted by police at about 2am on December 14 driving her Citroen without her headlights on and turned into Castle Drive at speed.

Piper, of Granary Close, Milton Green, looked "dazed and confused" when stopped.

She gave a reading of 96, nearly three times the drink-drive limit.

Mr Jones, also defending Piper, said she had no previous convictions and this particular offence was "very much out of character".

Reference letters were sent in on Piper's behalf from her tutoring professor at university and from Marketing Cheshire, where she had been working. Piper had also sent in a letter of apology.

Mr Jones said Piper had been on a works night out and had intended to get a taxi home but unfortunately got separated from the group.

He added: "She still can't explain why she decided to take the car home."

The court heard Piper had had a tough year and had been fully co-operative with the police.

"She is someone who is not going to be troubling the court again," Mr Jones concluded.

A probation report heard Piper was suitable for unpaid work, such as through an agency to work at a charity shop or a foodbank.

Magistrates handed Piper a 12-month community order where she must complete 60 hours unpaid work.

She was banned from driving for 24 months and ordered to pay costs totalling £175.

Mr Youds said Stokes was seen at 5am on December 15 after a check was made and he was found not to have insurance and was only on a provisional driving licence.

Police could smell intoxicants on his breath and he gave a reading of 70 – double the legal limit – and was arrested.

Stokes, of Craithie Road, Great Boughton, had no previous convictions.

Defending, Steve Coupe said Stokes had been on a night out and "for reasons he [Stokes] cannot fathom" made the decision to drive his father's vehicle.

There was no purpose to the journey and was a "moment of madness on his behalf".

Magistrates, including chair of the bench Andrew Platt, on his final session before retiring, handed Stokes a 19-month driving ban, fining him £230 plus £85 court costs and a 332 victim surcharge.

All three defendants were offered the drink-drive rehabilitation course, which if successfully completed would reduce their respective bans by a quarter.