A HIGHBRIDGE man who has been sentenced for drink driving for a fifth time says he has turned teetotal.

Police spotted scaffolder Robbie Date, 36, of Scott Road, driving down the wrong side of the road in the centre of Bridgwater in the early hours of May 14 this year.

As officers got out of their car after stopping him at 1am, Date drove off and was shortly afterwards discovered behind a bin near to McDonald's, in Bristol Road, with his head in a woman's lap.

He was arrested and gave a positive breath test of 82mg per 100ml of breath, more than double the 35mg legal driving limit.

During his appearance at Taunton Magistrates' Court today (Friday, November 24), the court was told he had previous convictions for drink driving in 2003, 2012, 2013 and 2019.

Date, who had 19 previous convictions for 34 offences, had already received three previous three-year driving bans.

After he pleaded guilty to the latest offence he told the court he was "very sorry" but did not realise he was over the drink drive limit, adding that he has since "given up alcohol altogether".

He was fined £1,170 and ordered to pay a £468 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs. Date was also banned from driving for 46 months.

He is already paying off previous court fines at the rate of £20 a week and was ordered to pay his latest court bill totalling £1,723 at a rate of £25 a week.