A police car was forced to take evasive action when a Cleobury Mortimer man drove his car onto the wrong side of the road, a court heard.

The car was speeding and also mounted a verge on the A4117 when it was seen by police in April this year.

Robert Smith, 23, who was said to have been “self medicating” on alcohol because of health problems, was found to be almost three times the drink drive limit.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court last week Judge Peter Barrie told Smith that his actions could have had “catastrophic consequences” and gave him a total of 16 weeks in prison, suspended for a year.

He was banned from driving for 14 months and must complete a rehabilitation course, carry out 80 hours unpaid work and must pay £535 costs.

Smith, of Larks Rise, Cleobury Mortimer, had admitted offences of dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol.

The court heard he had a previous conviction for drink driving in 2010 when he was 17 and had just passed his driving test and had 40 micrograms of alcohol in his breath, The legal limit is 35.

Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said that on this occasion the defendant was found to have 99 micrograms of alcohol in his breath - almost three times the legal limit.

He said on April 17 police had been informed about a Seat Leon which was believed to be driven by a drink-driver and officers saw the car on the A4117 being driven from the Kidderminster direction.

“As it approached a right hand bend, coming from the opposite direction, it appeared to lose control and went into the wrong lane and the police had to take evasive action,” he said.

Mr Jones said car was then seen parked at the side of the road but sped off at speed when approached by the officers.

It was followed by another police car and the Seat was seen to lose control on a left hand bend, mounting a grass verge and travelling in the wrong lane and straddling the white lines.

Mr Jones said officers lost sight of the car at the crossroads at Clee Hill, but it was found parked near to a pub and Smith was a few yards away holding the car keys.

Miss Rachel Pennington, for Smith, said her client had recently been diagnosed as bi-polar but did not feel that the medication was effective.

“He made the decision to self-medicate with alcohol, but has described his actions as absolutely stupid considering his past, and the decision to drive and his condition while driving, put others at risk,” she said.