A WORRIED son leapt into his car after drinking six pints of beer to reach his arthritic mother, who had taken a fall.

Stephen Evans, aged 40, was granted six months off the usual ban for being three times the limit after magistrates heard the reason for his journey, from Kinnersley to Lower Broadheath on Wednesday, December 12.

His "veering" grey Ford transit van was stopped by police at 8.45pm on the A4440 towards Crown East, Malvern, after officers detected confusion in Evans' choice of direction.

"He indicated and then cancelled seconds later," said John Barnett, prosecuting at Droitwich Magistrates Court.

"It wasn't clear which way he was going and his driving was erratic."

A test showed Evans, who was unsteady and slurring his words, had 93mcgs of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Richard Wilkes, defending, appealed to magistrates to be lenient as the "silly" and "spur of the moment" act had been in exceptional circumstances.

The forklift truck and HGV driver, who lives with his mother in Peachey Lane, Lower Broadheath, had set off earlier in the day - complete with sleeping bag - to lunch with friends at The Royal Oak pub.

After drinking six pints, he had gone back to his friend's Kinnersley home with the intention of driving back the next day.

"But as he sat alone, he received a call from his elderly arthritic mother who said she had fallen and, without thinking, he jumped back into his car," he said.

"He should have phoned an ambulance but it was a silly, spur- of-the-moment decision. He was worried and wasn't thinking straight.

"The reading is a relatively high one but I ask you to grant a lesser ban than the usual 24 months because of the circumstances."

Evans, who admitted driving with excess alcohol, was banned for 18 months. He was fined £230 with £55 costs.