A MOTORIST caught behind the wheel of his company car just three days after being banned for drink driving was more than four times over the limit.

Ian Phillips, aged 39, of Knowsley Grove, Horwich, appeared before Bolton magistrates on Monday as part of the police's Christmas drink driving crackdown.

Three drink-drivers appeared before the bench and 65 others have either already appeared in court or will do so over the coming weeks.

Magistrates heard how Phillips, a senior technician with a disaster restoration company, had appeared in court on December 18 last year and was banned from driving for five years after it was revealed he had been driving after drinking more than four and a half times the legal amount of alcohol.

But just three days later police spotted him in his company Vauxhall Vectra "meandering" across Chorley New Road, Horwich, heading towards Bolton. The court was told how officers signalled for him to stop but Phillips did a u-turn in the road and headed back towards Horwich. He was pursued and eventually stopped when he turned into a blocked side street. Breath tests proved he was four times over the drink drive limit.

Phillips pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, driving while banned and without insurance. The court heard that it is now his fifth drink driving offence. Sarah Durber, defending, said Phillips had become very depressed following the loss of his father and his estranged wife's refusal to allow him to see his four-year-old son. She explained that on December 21, Phillips had been driving on Chorley New Road in the hope of catching a glimpse of his son, who lives in the area.

Magistrates remanded Phillips on unconditional bail until January 27 to allow pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

A lorry driver, whose girlfriend is expecting a baby, lost his job as well as his driving licence when he appeared before magistrates for drink driving.

Martin Warwick, aged 27, of Christchurch Lane, Harwood, pleaded guilty to the offence committed on December 21. Police stopped him on Fletcher Street at 5.20am and a breath test revealed he was almost double the legal drink drive limit.

Warwick was banned from driving yesterday for three years as well as being fined £100 and £20 costs.

An Iraqi asylum seeker claimed he did not understand the alcohol limit laws and insurance regulations when he appeared before magistrates yesterday accused of drink driving and driving without insurance.

Hijran Saadalal Khadir, aged 25, of Nuttall Street, Bury, was driving a car in River Street, Bolton, at 3am on Sunday when he was approached by police for driving slowly. Breath tests revealed he was over the drink drive limit. Speaking through an interpreter Khadir pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving without insurance. He was banned from driving for 18 months, fined £200 and ordered to pay £20 costs.