A MAN who admitted drinking "at least" one bottle of vodka a day gave an initial reading of nearly four times the drink drive limit when he was stopped by police.

Blackburn magistrates heard Piotr Kopec claimed he felt fine to drive and was not drunk.

Kopek, 46, of Gloucester Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months, made subject to a community order with nine months alcohol treatment requirement and 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to pay £85 costs and £122 victim surcharge. He was banned from driving for five years.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said it was his fourth conviction for drink-driving. His road side breathalyser reading had been 139 against the legal limit of 35. The reading at the police station after his arrest was 122.

Kopec admitted he had drunk vodka before taking his new car to show his sister.

Scott Parker, defending, said the sister only lived 200 yards away in Devon Road and he had been stopped on the way back because the car was not insured. There was no criticism of the manner of his driving.

"Clearly his previous record aggravates his position but he has been out of trouble for seven years," said Mr Parker.