This offence is so serious that only custody can be justified

Magistrate Marilyn Webber

Magistrates in Denbigh heard how police had been called after Alkunani entered a service station forecourt via an exit.

The court was told that Alkunani, a house officer at Glan Clwyd Hospital, had made two unsuccessful attempts to put petrol into his Mercedes.

The junior doctor was reported to be nearly three times over the drink-drive limit when he was stopped by police just a few days after Christmas.

Defence solicitor Gwyn Jones argued his client had been driven to drink by the stress of working as a busy National Health Service doctor.

Dr Usamah Alkunani could now lose his job

However, chair of the bench, Marilyn Webber, told the court that a custodial sentence was "the only option" facing Alkunani.

She said: "This offence is so serious that only custody can be justified as the offence of driving while disqualified was committed within a short period since your previous conviction."

The court was told how Alkunani had already been banned from driving by London's Bow Street magistrates in September last year.

Guilty plea

The 32-year-old had pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, driving while banned and driving without insurance at an earlier hearing.

Alkunani was given two concurrent eight week sentences for drink-driving and driving while disqualified and banned from driving for three years.

A spokesman for Glan Clwyd Hospital said the case had been reported to the General Medical Council.

The doctor's contract at the hospital is due to expire on 5 February.