A Suffolk man has been banned from the road – and all pubs – after being caught drink-driving for the second time in six years.

Christopher Moss was disqualified for four years, excluded from pubs and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work for driving his van home after an evening of drinking and playing darts.

Police came across a Vauxhall Combo on a verge at the side of the B1106, near the entrance to Larks Gate, in Fornham All Saints, at 12.50am on March 30.

Moss was described as “evasive” when approached near the vehicle, but admitted being the driver when found with the keys in his pocket.

The 29-year-old failed a roadside breath test and refused to provide a saliva sample for drug testing, telling officers he had smoked cannabis a couple of days earlier and “didn’t need to be told” it was in his system.

Moss, of Simpson Way, Barrow, near Bury St Edmunds, admitted failing to cooperate with a preliminary saliva test and driving with 93 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit being 35mcg – when he appeared before magistrates in Ipswich last week.

Prosecutor Lesla Small said Moss had been temporarily insured to drive his father’s van, which suffered a puncture as he drove home from the pub.

“He changed the tyre and went to turn the vehicle around, but got stuck,” added Ms Small, who said Moss had been banned from driving for three years in October 2013.

“The offence is aggravated by the defendant’s previous conviction and his refusal to provide a saliva sample.”

When asked if he had anything to say about the incident, Moss told magistrates: “I have nothing to say.”

During a pre-sentence report interview, Moss told the probation service he had finished work at 2.30pm and gone to the pub.

The self-employed carpenter then went home, changed clothing and returned to play darts at 8pm, drinking three pints before leaving at 11.30pm.

Moss was banned from driving for 48 months and handed a 12-month community order, with 80 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was also banned from all pubs for three months and told to contribute £85 towards the cost of prosecution.