A MILKMAN faces the sack after he admitted driving his float while more than three times the legal drink drive limit.John O'Dowd, 49, was disqualified from driving for 28 months and sentenced to 140 hours' community work by magistrates in Ipswich yesterday after he was caught in Ipswich while he was off-duty.

A MILKMAN faces the sack after he admitted driving his float while more than three times the legal drink drive limit.

John O'Dowd, 49, was disqualified from driving for 28 months and sentenced to 140 hours' community work by magistrates in Ipswich yesterday after he was caught in Ipswich while he was off-duty.

O'Dowd, of Macauley Road, Ipswich, was sentenced on the same day as magistrates' banned Dorothy Weanie, 43, for driving while more than four times the legal alcohol limit.

The court heard how a member of the public contacted police to report a milk float being driven erratically towards Copdock on June 26 at 8.40pm.

Officers pulled the vehicle over on Bury Road and noted a strong smell of alcohol on O'Dowd's breath, the court heard.

Lesla Small, prosecuting, said O'Dowd supplied a positive breath test, which read 111mcgs of breath in 100ml of alcohol. The legal limit is 35.

Representing himself, O'Dowd told the court yesterday: "Obviously I was wrong – I can only apologise. It is out of character.

"The previous two to three weeks I was working round the clock. I basically tried to ease a bit of stress."

The court heard O'Dowd would lose his job as a result of the conviction.

Magistrates told him he could reduce his driving ban by seven months if he took part in a driving rehabilitation scheme.

Meanwhile Weanie, of Redwald Road, Rendlesham, narrowly escaped jail after driving her Volvo car while more than four times the limit at 12.15am on June 7.

The mother instead received a four-month suspended prison sentence, which means if she re-offends within the next two years she will find herself in jail. She was also disqualified from driving for three years.

Ms Small told the court how officers received information from a motorist in another vehicle on June 7 saying it had almost hit a car.

The motorist provided the registration number of the vehicle and suggested the driver might be under the influence of alcohol.

Officers traced the vehicle back to Weanie's address and attended the property at 12.30am.

Ms Small said officers found the engine of the car still warm to the touch.

Weanie was sitting in the lounge of the property and officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol on her breath. She was also unable to sit up straight and was slurring, the court heard.

Officers spoke to Weanie's daughter who said her mother had arrived home five minutes prior to police.

The court then heard how Weanie was taken to the police station where a breath test revealed a reading of 147mcgs of breath in 100ml of alcohol.

Howard Catherall, for Weanie, said his client felt remorse and genuine shame at the offence.

Magistrates told Weanie she was close to being sent to prison. They attached a community order onto her suspended sentence, which means she will have to carry out a drinking and driving programme and a driver's rehabilitation order.