A MOTORIST found in charge of his vehicle while almost four times the legal alcohol limit has avoided a driving ban.

Police officers came across Dawid Wejkowski sitting in his Audi with the lights on in Whitehaugh Avenue, Peebles, on the evening of March 8.

He was found to have a breath/alcohol count of 84 microgrammes – the legal limit being 22.

Wejkowski told officers: “I was not driving – I was listening to music.”

Defence lawyer Dominic Burke said his client had been drinking in the house and had got involved in an argument with his partner.

He added that his client had no intention of driving the vehicle.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said he was taking the unusual step of not imposing a ban but instead placed 10 penalty points on his licence and fined him £500 with a £20 victim surcharge.