A BUSINESS owner has been given a community order for refusing to take a breath test after he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

Stephen Gillespie, 51, of Quarmby Road, Quarmby, was also banned from driving after he swerved into the path of an oncoming police vehicle on January 26.

The police vehicle was forced to swerve into a kerb to avoid a collision on the road in Longwood, Kirklees Magistrates heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Mark Haigh said when Gillespie was arrested shortly afterwards he seemed to have been drinking and was unsteady on his feet, with eyes glazed and slurred speech.

When taken to the police station, Gillespie, who runs a landscape gardening business, refused to give a breath sample.

Gillespie initially denied the charge but later admitted failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis.

Magistrates ordered Gillespie to carry out 80 hours unpaid work and banned him from driving for 20 months.

He was ordered to pay £150 costs plus a £60 victim surcharge.