A MAN who sped along the M56 motorway between Chester and Ellesmere Port while over four times the drink-drive limit, before crashing, has been jailed.

Erik Ulijanov, 21, of Dyfed Drive, Queensferry, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to drink-driving.

Prosecuting at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, June 17, Emily Comer said it was just after 11pm on April 8 when a taxi driver witnessed Ulijanov, in an Audi A4, heading on to the M56 "at high speed".

The taxi driver left the motorway soon after, and saw the Audi again. That car had crashed into a barrier and spun around. Ulijanov was at the scene and appeared intoxicated.

Police arrived and Ulijanov gave a breath test reading of 150 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, more than four times the legal limit of 35.

The court heard Ulijanov had no previous convictions, but were informed he had been told by the Home Office his 'right to remain' in the UK application had been rejected, and he was to leave the country in August.

A probation officer said that meant they could not offer much in the way of support, such as an unpaid work requirement.

Ulijanov, representing himself and with a Lithuanian interpreter present, said he had nothing to add in his defence.

Chair of magistrates Theresa Whittingham said: "We do acknowledge you have made a guilty plea and you have no previous convictions.

"But we have to consider what the prosecution have told us. This is driving a car on the motorway at a high speed, crashing into a barrier and the car has spun around, not only endangering your own life but that of others.

"The alcohol reading was very high. Speeding on a motorway is dangerous enough; doing that with a high level of alcohol in your system...these are the reasons only a custodial sentence is justified."

Ulijanov was jailed for 12 weeks and banned from driving for 38 months. He must pay a victim surcharge of £128 and court costs of £85.