A GRAVE digger from Ulverston has been left virtually unemployed after being banned from driving for 17 months following a drink driving charge.

Colin Nicholson, 55, of North Lonsdale Road, Ulverston, appeared before Furness Magistrates' Court on January 3 and pleaded guilty to driving while over the limit.

Mr Peter Kelly, prosecuting, told the court that on December 18 at 2.10am, a police officer on patrol saw Nicholson driving his vehicle the wrong way down a one-way street, namely Market Street, in Ulverston.

Police asked him to provide a breath sample which found that he had 63 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit being 35.

Mr Sean Harkin, defending, said that his client understands that a driving ban must be issued by magistrates but warned that it will ruin Nicholson's career as a grave digger.

He said: "If he has not got a licence he will effectively be unemployed as a result of this.

"He works full time and provides for his wife and five children. He accepts that he has made a mistake and this is out of character for him.

"I would ask you to be as lenient as you can be in terms of the period of disqualification."

Magistrates banned Nicholson from driving for 17 months and ordered him to pay a fine of £300.

He must also pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Nicholson has also been offered the chance to complete the drink-drive rehabilitation which if completed by December 3, will reduce the length of his ban by 17 weeks.

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