A SUSPECTED drink-driver who was seen going "straight over the top" of a roundabout in the early hours of New Year's day has been fined and banned.

Emil Milanov, of Victoria Road in Wrexham, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Monday.

The 55-year-old admitted that on January 1, when suspected of having driven a vehicle he failed to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Prosecutor Rebecca Kuipers told the court that at around 2am on the day of the offence, police on patrol in Wrexham were travelling from Fairy Road towards a roundabout connecting with Ruabon Road.

As they approached the roundabout, a vehicle being driven by the defendant came from the direction of the A5152 and drove "straight over the top of the roundabout."

It then "narrowly missed the kerb" before stalling in the middle of the road.

When he was spoken to, officers noted a "strong smell of alcohol" coming from Milanov's vehicle.

A roadside breath sample gave a positive reading for alcohol, but when in custody, he failed to give two evidential samples.

Ms Kuipers said Milanov's behaviour had been a "deliberate refusal" to provide.

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But, she added, it was noted that his roadside reading was 83 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - which would have put him at more than double the legal limit of 35 at that point.

After interviewing the defendant, Probation Officer Pamela Roberts told the court Milanov moved to the UK some ten years ago and has a "good work ethic."

She continued: "There is no pattern of behaviour and no criminogenic needs."

Ms Roberts said the offence came after the death of the defendant's brother, with whom he had a "close bond" and shared some joint enterprises.

Alun Williams, defending, said: "He is a Bulgarian national with no previous convictions of any kind whatsoever.

"He's a working man and the loss of his licence is going to cause him extreme difficulties.

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"He made the mistake of deciding to drive to a friend's house and had never done anything like this before.

"It was the first New Year without his brother."

The court handed down a fine of £833 and ordered the defendant to pay £85 costs, as well as a £333 victim surcharge.

He was also banned from driving for 24 months.