A TEENAGER caught by police driving while serving a ban claimed he was persuaded to by his friends.

Mykolas Paltanavicius, 18, of Broad Street, Ross-on-Wye, claimed to have agreed to drive less than a mile home after his friend began feeling unwell.

He pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and having no insurance at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Timothy Talbot-Webb, prosecuting, said that at 4.20am on June 24 an officer on routine patrol saw the defendant driving a green Ford Cougar and 'swerving from lane to lane' on the A40 dual carriageway near Ross Spur.

The officer smelt alcohol and when the defendant was tested he blew 36 which was just over the limit," said Mr Talbot-Webb.

"When he was tested again he was just under the limit, however during the checks it was revealed the defendant had be disqualified in May for drink driving."

Chris Read, mitigating, said that Paltanavicius had been out with his friends on that evening and was the passenger in the vehicle.

Mr Read said: "At the time he was living in a caravan in Phocle Green and was coming back from a night out.

"The car stopped at a filling station, the driver said he felt unwell and asked if the defendant could takeover driving so they could get home.

"He initially said he couldn't before being persuaded by friends to drive less than a mile home. He comes to the attention of police while coming out of the petrol station and moving from lane one to two before moving around the roundabout."

Magistrates ordered Paltanavicius to complete a 12 months community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.

His original driving disqualification was extended by six months to make a total of 18 months driving ban.

He was also ordered to pay £135 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.