A YOUNG motorist from Trowbridge was caught drink-driving just seven days after passing his test.

Daniel Mercer, 21, was handed a 16-month driving ban by magistrates after police stopped his Vauxhall Nova in Trowbridge town centre.

Magistrates in Chippenham marked what they called a disastrous start to his driving career, with a ban, £250 fine and £55 costs on Monday.

Prosecutor Nicholas Dunne said Mercer was caught after police officers, on patrol in the town centre on August 3, followed his car into Silver Street. When he ignored a no-left turn sign, Mercer was stopped and breathalysed, producing a positive result.

Tested again at Melksham police station, Mercer gave a lower reading of 52mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Trevor Line, defending, said the labourer had volunteered to pick his friends up after a night out, but believes he had not fully recovered from a boozy night the day before.

"He thought that with food it would be enough to work off the excesses of the night before but unfortunately that was not the case."

Mercer was offered a place on a driver rehabilitation course which, if completed, would reduce his driving ban from 16 months to a year.