A Suffolk man who got behind the wheel on the way back from a barbecue after his wife said she was too tired to continue driving has been banned from the road.

Marius-catalin Dascalu, 34, was pulled over by police on the A143 at Great Barton, near Bury St Edmunds, around 11.20pm on July 5 this year, magistrates heard.

Police noticed Dascalu's Audi A7 weaving on the road, and getting close to the nearside kerb, Lesla Small, prosecuting, told Suffolk Magistrates' Court.

When he was stopped, officers smelt alcohol on Dascalu and he then failed a roadside breath test, the court heard.

He was taken to the police station where he blew 67 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg in 100ml.

Dascalu, of Kirkley Run, Lowestoft, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to drink driving before magistrates in Ipswich on Friday.

Dascalu was not represented in court but told magistrates he had consumed two beers at a barbecue, and his wife began driving home.

He said when his wife got tired, he did not think he would be over the limit and decided to get behind the wheel.

Dascalu was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £180.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £105 and a victim surcharge of £34.

Magistrates did offer Dascalu the drink-drive awareness course, which will reduce his ban by 18 weeks if completed within the specified time.