COMPANY boss Matthew Gardner, who was stopped by police for a defective light, was found to be over the drink drive limit.

Gardner, 36, of Bravington Road, London, was stopped while he was driving his BMW on Pewsey Road, Marlborough, on April 24.

Officers smelt alcohol on his breath and a roadside breath test proved positive.

He was taken to Westlea Police Station in Swindon where he opted to give a blood sample after a breath test showed he was close to the legal limit.

A blood sample found he had 96 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres in blood; the legal limit is 80 milligrammes.

A second opinion was sought by Gardner and an expert found his blood sample to contain 87 milligrammes of alcohol.

At Kennet Magistrates Court in Devizes on Tuesday, Sam Arif, defending, said Gardner had not been driving erratically when he was stopped by the police.

Miss Arif said he had gone to stay with his mother who lives in Marlborough for the weekend after breaking up with his girlfriend.

She said he had consumed two and a half pints of lager and he was shocked to discover he was over the drink drive limit.

Miss Arif said Gardner had his own video company which provided corporate training and presentation videos to companies and he travelled widely across the country visiting clients.

She said a driving ban would affect his business as it was not feasible for him to use public transport.

The magistrates banned Gardner from driving for 12 months.

He was also fined £335 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £35.