A BUNGLING driver who had one too many before getting behind the wheel had no idea he was over the limit - or banned from the road - a court heard.

Shaun Daly thought a 12-month ban for dangerous driving had elapsed and applied for his licence back.

But despite it failing to arrive, he assumed it was "in the post".

Droitwich magistrates heard Daly was stopped by police as he drove along Worcester Road in Malvern at 9.30pm on Friday, October 5.

Kiernan Cunningham, prosecuting, said officers smelled alcohol on his breath when they spoke to him and tested him.

He was found to have 57mcg of alcohol per 100mg of breath when the legal limit is 35mcg.

But he added that when Daly was questioned he had failed to tell police about two previous driving convictions.

In 1993, he was given a three-year ban for drink-driving and in 1999 he was disqualified for a year for dangerous driving.

"Mr Daly said there were no relevant previous convictions but it has since been discovered there were two convictions within 10 years," Mr Cunningham said.

During Friday's hearing, Daly, of Worcester Road, Malvern, admitted driving with excess alcohol, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

But Dale Sheehan, defending, said his client had been "naive" and believed he had been free to drive after his 12-month ban had ended, not realising he had to take a fresh driving test.

He added his client, who he claimed had been fully co-operative with the police, had not realised he was still disqualified.

"My client accepts he committed the offence of drink-driving, but thought he was under the limit and clearly his judgement was wrong," he said.

"But he was not knowingly driving while disqualified.

"As far as Mr Daly understood, he had to re-apply for his licence and he would get it back.

"He made efforts to get his licence back but thought it was just in the post when he had not had anything."

Daly was fined £350 for driving with excess alcohol and banned from driving for four years. He was also ordered to serve 100 hours community punishment for driving while disqualified and given six penalty points for driving without insurance.