A MOTORIST has escaped a driving ban after being caught in charge of a vehicle while drunk.

Andrew Thomas was in a broken-down car on the M6 hard shoulder near Junction 37 when police arrived on the scene at around 1.55am on April 11.

Traffic cop PC Karl Walsh noticed Thomas was unsteady on his feet when he got out of the car holding the keys.

PC Walsh saw the car was full of smoke and the other occupants included a six-year-old boy asleep on the back seat. Thomas, 33, was arrested and at Kendal Police Station he gave a breath sample reading of 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

At South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday Thomas, of Washacre in Westhoughton, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle above the alcohol limit and smoking in a vehicle with a child present.

Dad-of-three Thomas was given 10 penalty points and fined a total of £155 for both offences.

He must also pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.