A man caught driving while more than two-and-a-half times over the limit had been struggling to cope following the death of his mother, a court heard.
Police spotted Jordan Marsden driving his Vauxhall Corsa in the Hillhouse area at 4.30am on December 6.
Ben Crosland, prosecuting at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court, said: “He turned left onto Emerald Street, which is a dead end.
“Given the rather suspicious nature of that manoeuvre the officers followed and he had come to a stop.
“One of the officers approached him in his car, he smelt of alcohol and his eyes were glazed.”
Kirklees magistrates heard that the 29-year-old was unsteady on his feet as he walked to the police car.
He was arrested and police station breath tests showed that he had 91 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
This was over two-and-half times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
Marsden, assisted throughout the proceedings by a sign language interpreter, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to driving whilst over the prescribed limit.
It was his second drink-driving offence in the last seven years.
The paint sprayer, of Northway in Mirfield, said that he had been out at a party the previous evening and had felt fine to drive.
Magistrates were told that at the time he was struggling to cope with life, particularly the recent death of his mother.
He had turned to alcohol to cope with his depression but had taken up boxing to try and keep away from drink and think more positively.
Marsden said: “I haven’t been in the right mind recently. I think I need to keep my head down and focus on myself in a positive way.”
Magistrates banned him from driving for 46 months.
He also has to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of probation activities.
Finally, he has to pay £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.
