A man has been given a suspended jail sentence after being caught driving while three times the drink-driving limit.

John Stephen, 43, of Guildford Street, Hendon, Sunderland, admitted drink driving while behind the wheel of a driving a Mazda 3 in Stanley, County Durham.

Stephen was found with 141 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, after being stopped on Cotswold Terrace on September 5 - the legal limit is 35 micrograms.

A hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court heard the offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

However, Stephen's 12-week prison sentence was suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to undergo nine months of alcohol treatment under the direction of probation.

In addition to the suspended sentence and alcohol treatment order, Stephen was disqualified from driving for 32 months.

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This disqualification period could be reduced by 32 weeks if he completes a course by August 1, 2026.

An interim disqualification started from the date of his plea, September 23.

Stephen was also ordered to pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service and a £154 surcharge.