A DRUNK man left a pub after being refused service – and drove away in his car.

Pub staff then called police, before tracking down Ryszard Minicz and taking his car keys off him.

The 38-year-old admitted that he could have killed someone when he appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.

Minicz, who was three times over the drink-drive limit, said that he had downed a bottle of vodka after being unable to find work.

Polish-born Minicz, of Leeds Road in Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to a charge of drink-driving.

Camilla Brook, prosecuting, said that on October 24 police were contacted by a staff member at the Ship Inn in Mirfield.

The staff member reported that Minicz was refused service because he was drunk.

He then left the pub and got into his car. Minicz then drove out of the car park and on to the main road at Steanard Lane.

He was then witnessed getting stuck on the bridge before stalling his car, magistrates were told.

Miss Brook said: “Staff members had then gone to switch off the engine and remove the keys.

“They returned him back to the pub and waited for police to arrive.”

Magistrates were told that the married father-of-two smelt strongly of alcohol.

His eyes were also glazed and he was unsteady on his feet.

Following a positive roadside breath test he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

Further police station tests revealed that he had 107 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35mg.

Minicz, who was not represented, explained via his interpreter that he had drunk a 750ml bottle of vodka the previous day.

He said that he had felt depressed at being out of work.

Minicz said that he had then gone to the pub to see his friend who had promised him some employment.

He admitted to magistrates that he could have killed someone by getting behind the wheel.

Minicz, who came to live in the UK six years ago, told them: “I’m very sorry. I’m ashamed of what’s happened and it won’t happen again.”

Magistrates banned him from driving for two years.

They also gave him a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

Finally Minicz was told to pay £85 court costs and £60 victim surcharge.