A SERIAL drink driver caught in Winchester has narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

Andrew John Balfour, 47, of Kelvin Road, Eastleigh, was stopped by police on Romsey Road on September 13.

His alcohol reading was 125 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath, nearly four times the legal limit. Balfour pleaded guilty.

Magistrates in Basingstoke jailed him for 12 weeks but suspended the sentence for 12 months.

They said they considered a jail term because Balfour was a repeat offender, the high reading and the fact he caused an accident.

He was also ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work over the next year and take part in a drink-impaired drivers programme.

They also disqualified him from driving for 40 months and ordered he pay a £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

The ban will be cut by 40 weeks if Balfour passes an approved course by February 27 2021.