A DRINK driver who crashed twice before being stopped by police was later found to be "off the scale" used by magistrates as a sentencing guideline.

Blackburn magistrates heard Lee McLeod could remember nothing of the incident.

And the chairman of the magistrates said it was little wonder he had a memory blank given the amount he must have drunk.

McLeod, 30, of Kinross Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and made subject to a community order for 12 months with nine months alcohol treatment requirement and 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was banned from driving for four years and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

The magistrates guidelines have an upper bracket of between 120 and 150 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. McLeod gave a reading of 155, which is more than four times the legal limit.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said a police officer investigating why traffic was backing up in Nelson on October 14 was approached by a woman who said the Volvo S40 driven by the defendant had collided with her car and then left the scene.

He was seen shortly after in Corporation Street and collided with another car before he was stopped in Sheridan Street.

"The officer said he seemed dazed and his speech was extremely slurred," said Mr Robinson.

He said McLeod had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol in 2009.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client's relationship with his long-term partner had ended 24 hours before the incident.

He had gone to stay with a friend and they had been drinking heavily.

"They had an argument and the friend ordered him to leave," said Mr Price.

"He got in the car and drove away but doesn't remember anything that happened after that."