A DRINK driver who downed vodka shots has been banned, leaving him pondering how he will get to work with 'no public transport'.

Vladimirs Formanickis admitted drink driving when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Monday. The inevitable driving ban has left the 'well thought of' employee with another hangover - how he will get to work 10 miles away from his home.

The 26-year-old of Astwood Road, Worcester was close to twice the drink drive limit when he was stopped in his Skoda Octavia in the city’s Tintern Avenue at 3am on June 21, failing a roadside breath test.

Police took later evidential readings back at the police station, the lowest of which was 62mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, well over the drink drive limit of 35mcg.

Jim Mason, prosecuting, said police were on patrol in an unmarked car when they became aware of the Skoda.

“The manner of the driving concerned them somewhat and they followed the vehicle to a road called Tintern Avenue. It came to a halt in a car park just adjacent to a block of flats and the officers spoke to the driver who was this defendant.

“They could smell intoxicants. He told the officer he had had a few shots of vodka.”

Shaun Newey, defending, handed up a character reference on behalf of the defendant, told magistrates his client had no previous convictions and asked that he be given full credit for his early guilty plea.

Mr Newey said his client was in work and ‘obviously well thought of by his employer’ who anticipated he would continue to work for them.

“The problem that may arise is the commute is about 10 miles and there’s no public transport. He’s aware you have no option but to disqualify him from driving,” the solicitor told the court.

Mr Newey described the episode as ‘very out of character’ and added: “He regrets his actions.”

He referred to what happened as a ‘misjudgement’ and said there were no particular aggravating features to the case.

Giving him credit for early guilty plea, magistrates fined him £415 which was reduced from £623 to reflect his prompt admission.

They also ordered him to pay £135 prosecution costs and a £42 victim surcharge.

The bench banned him from driving for 17 months. However, they did offer him a drink drive awareness course which, if completed successfully, will reduce the length of his ban by 17 weeks.