A MAN on the run from a drink driving charge committed the same offence soon after moving to Wrexham for a “new start”.

Fernando Oliveira, 47, was caught over the limit on February 11 in Luton, Bedfordshire, but failed to appear in court to answer the charge on February 26.

Despite a warrant being out for his arrest, Oliveira then moved to Wrexham where on April 1 his Mercedes collided with another car on the town’s High Street after which Oliveira again failed a breath test.

Appearing from custody at Mold Magistrates Court, Oliveira pleaded guilty to all three charges but denied he had a problem with alcohol.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, said Oliveira’s girlfriend had phoned the police after the couple had a row and he had got in his car despite having been drinking.

Police officers traced Oliveira to the Sportsman pub in Luton where they found him playing pool having driven his silver Vauxhall Astra the one and a half miles from his home.

A breath test showed he had 98 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. The UK legal limit for drivers is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.

The court heard he was charged but he then failed to attend at the magistrates court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Ms Jackson then told the court how police officers were alerted by some doormen that a man was driving erratically along Wrexham’s High Street at about 12.20am on April 1.

Officers stopped the blue Mercedes after it hit another vehicle and found Oliveira behind the wheel but struggling to speak coherently.

He told officers he had drunk only one pint of beer. an hour previously but a roadside test showed 96 mg of alcohol and he was arrested.

Probation officer Andrew Cunnah said after three days in custody, Oliveira had fully accepted responsibility for his behaviour and that it was a “big wake up call”.

Mr Cunnah said Oliveira, who had worked as a care worker since moving to the UK two years ago, had moved to Wrexham in February wanting “a new start” and was renting an address on Coed-Y-Ffynnon in Wrexham.

He added that Oliveira, who had no previous convictions in the UK or Portugal, said that he didn’t think he had a problem with alcohol and had missed his court appearance because he had argued with his girlfriend and spent the night in his car where he overslept.

District Judge Gwyn Jones said: “For a man of previously good character you’ve been pretty busy between February 11 and April 1.”

Mr Jones sentenced Oliveira to 24 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 130 hours of unpaid work.

He was also disqualified from driving for 48 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £115.