AN ISLE of Wight man well over twice the drink-drive limit, shopped by petrol station staff, was arrested after he did his shopping in a Tesco store, a court was told.

Alexandru Avadani, who admitted drink driving in Ryde on April 27 — his second such offence in less than four years — was disqualified from driving for 40 months, when he appeared before Island magistrates.

Police were called at 9.15pm by Tesco petrol station staff on Brading Road to report Avadani, of East Hill Road, Ryde, smelt strongly of alcohol when he came to buy fuel.

Jobless Avadani, 45, was breath-tested as he left the main Tesco store nearby, after he had done his shopping, said Liz Miller, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

After failing his roadside breath test and admitting to having consumed alcohol and driving his Skoda to Tesco, he was arrested and taken to Newport Police Station, where he blew a reading of 86 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35.

Through his solicitor, Barry Arnett, Avadani said he was astonished by how high the reading was.

Avadani was ordered to pay a fine of £120, together with £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.