A 'KERB-crawling drink driver has avoided jail.

James Fisher, of Ellesmere Port, was banned from driving for half a decade at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday (March 15).

Clare Oliver, prosecuting, explained that the first two of the five charges relate to an incident on September 30, 2023.

Fisher was pulled over on Liverpool Road in Huyton during a routine stop.

Upon smelling cannabis, officers tested Fisher and it was found there was 39 microgrammes of cocaine per litre of his blood.

Meanwhile, the level of benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine, was recorded as 400 microgrammes per litre of blood, the limit being 50 microgrammes.

Then on November 22, a member of the public called the police to report a Volvo car being driven recklessly on Princes Road in Ellesmere Port.

“The witness described the driving as dangerous and erratic. They could hear tyres screeching and the driver forcibly changing gears,” said Ms Oliver.

Defending, Ceri Lewis said Fisher had been arguing with his girlfriend when she got out of the car.

“In essence, he was kerb-crawling to get her back in the car,” she added.

Fisher was arrested at the scene, at which point he became “irate” and struck a police constable in the chest.

He failed to provide a blood specimen for testing but was breathalysed and found to be over the drink-drive limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath – producing a reading of 46 microgrammes.

Ms Lewis said: “He is well aware he is looking at a substantial disqualification today.

“He acknowledges he has a problem with alcohol.

“This really started in lockdown when his mental health was suffering. He hit the bottle.

“He is motivated to change and hopeful he can get back into meaningful employment.”

As District Judge John McGarva began delivering his sentence, Fisher could be seen in the dock shaking his head and loudly sighing.

However, Judge McGarva assured him “It isn’t all bad news”.

In the end, he sentenced Fisher to 24 weeks in prison but suspended it for 12 months, believing there to be a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.

Fisher has also been ordered to complete a six-month alcohol treatment programme and 35 days of rehabilitation activities.

He must also pay £120 in costs and a £154 surcharge.