A young man was caught illegally teaching a person to drive after a drinking session when his car was spotted swerving.

Jake Cryer, of Ramsgate, was over the legal alcohol limit when he allowed an individual to climb behind the wheel of his blue Fiat in Margate.

But when a witness saw the Punto driving fast and erratically in Princess Margaret Avenue police were alerted on 999.

A police patrol would soon spot the car in nearby Northdown Road and, when they stopped it in Foreland Avenue, Cryer exited from the passenger seat.

The 23-year-old told officers he was giving the person behind the wheel a driving lesson, despite them not having the relevant licence.

Suspicious Cryer was over the legal limit for alcohol, officers ordered him to perform a roadside breath test, which he failed.

He was arrested and charged with two offences after failing to provide further specimens at the police station.

Cryer, of Victoria Road, was charged with being the person in charge of a vehicle failing to provide a specimen of urine, and permitting his vehicle to be driven by someone who did not have a licence.

He admitted both counts at Margate Magistrates’ Court on June 14.

Gus Walter, prosecuting, said police were called on April 22 this year after a witness saw the car “swerving and being driven erratically cutting corners and driving at excess speed”.

He added: “The patrol officers put on their blue lights and sirens in Foreland Avenue and the vehicle was stopped in Northdown and officers went to speak to the person in the driver’s seat.

“The defendant was in the passenger side of the vehicle and he was in drink and started saying he was giving driving lessons to the other person.

“He then said it was stupid and he knew the person didn’t have a licence and officers got him to do a roadside breath test and he failed it and the person driving didn’t have insurance to drive the vehicle.

“He, the defendant, is the registered owner and he admitted he had allowed the person to drive the vehicle.

“The defendant had been drinking, he did give two samples just after 3am.”

The court heard he blew a reading of 44 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

However, Mr Walter also said officers requested Cryer give a blood sample as there was an issue with the breath readings, but a nurse was unable to do so, so Cryer was requested to complete a urine test instead.

Mr Walter added: “He was unable to provide a urine sample and then said to officers: ‘Let me fail to provide and take me to court’.

“It was a deliberate refusal and the other offence is finable - the permitting someone to drive a vehicle without a licence.”

Lainy Snook, defending, told the court her client did provide breath and tried to give a blood sample.

She argued the nurse taking the blood explicitly said it was not Cryer’s fault she could not get one.

The lawyer also told the court Cryer was already on an alcohol treatment requirement as part of a community order he had received for another offence.

She said her client was doing well on the course and was also getting help from the Forward Trust to help tackle his drinking issue.

She also told the court his partner had recently given birth to their child.

Ms Snook added: “He did give the first urine sample but after 20 minutes and drinking water he couldn’t produce another sample, he got frustrated he could not provide the second sample, he did want to provide blood, but there was a problem.

“The other person (who was in the driver’s seat) had convinced him to go out in the car, it was a foolish mistake on his part.

“He’s trying to address his alcohol problem.”

Magistrates banned Cryer from driving for six months for failing to provide a sample and fined him £120.

He was ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £48 as well as £85 costs.

He received no separate penalty for the other offence and was ordered to pay the court what he owes at a rate of £20 a month.

It was not mentioned in court whether the person driving the car was prosecuted.