A MAN who was caught driving while more than three times the alcohol limit has been handed a community order.

Barry Stretch, of Plas Isaf in Rhosymedre, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Friday.

The 43-year-old admitted that on August 21 in Trevor, he drove an Audi motor vehicle after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath, exceeded the prescribed limit.

He was found to have 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the limit being 35.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, said that on the day of the offence officers on the A593 saw an Audi A3 coming towards them with two occupants on board.

They stopped the vehicle and detected a strong smell of intoxicant.

The driver, Stretch, gave a roadside breath sample which showed he was over the limit.

Stephen Edwards, defending, quoted a letter from the defendant's GP, in which he said Stretch had been to see him more frequently following the death of his mother and the ending of his marriage for mental health difficulties and crises.

Mr Edwards said: "It's clear this is not a man who is in denial - he's dependant on alcohol.

"He was a person with a normal, hard working lifestyle. "He was a painter and decorator and had a contract with Wrexham Council.

"He was married and had two children.

"But that marriage broke down and he was unable to come to terms with that.

"Even today he's not able to come to terms with that.

"He lost his mum, his brother, his job - he has a lot on his plate and it has been a downward spiral."

Mr Edwards said on the day in question he's been in the Llangollen area and got talking to a woman.

A short time later a group of men arrived, one of whom was the woman's ex-husband.

Stretch feared "there might be trouble," and he panicked - jumping in the car and driving off before anything happened.

The court handed him a 12 month community order with a six month alcohol treatment requirement and 15 days of rehabilitation activity to get his life "back on track."

He was handed a £120 fine and was ordered to pay £85 costs, as well as a £95 victim surcharge.

The court also banned him from driving for 30 months.