A police officer who admitted drink-driving has avoided a ban after a barman in a pub admitted he gave him stronger drinks than he had asked for.

Myles Hughes, 34, of Moss Lane, Macclesfield, pleaded guilty at Macclesfield magistrates, after he was caught driving with a blood-alcohol reading of 85mg in 100ml, narrowly over the legal limit of 80mg.

The father of three is a neighbourhood constable in Hazel Grove, Stockport, where he is based at Offerton School.

At a special circumstances hearing at the court on Friday, Hughes, who serves with Greater Manchester Police, said his drinks had been laced with alcohol in the Flower Pot Inn on Congleton Road, Macclesfield.

He said: "I drank four pints of Stella shandy. When I left the pub I felt sure I was okay to drive.

"I was a bit shocked and unsure about what had happened. I returned to the pub and asked if there was any CCTV to see if my drink had been spiked."

Witness and barman Paul Doyle, of Hurdsfield Road, Macclesfield, said he had arranged to give Hughes a lift home and admitted giving him one shandy and four pints of lager top – lager with a splash of lemonade – instead of the shandy he had ordered.

He said: "I was a friend, I was trying to make him feel a bit better, cheer him up a bit. I feel very guilty."

Defending, Gywn Lewis said: "There was a change of plan, that is what caused there to be a problem in this case. "If his drink hadn’t been laced he would have been under the legal limit."

Prosecuting, Caroline Wynne said: "What I say to you is that in fact you were asking for (lager) and you knew exactly what you were drinking. I put to you that if somebody has had four pints of strong lager they know it."

But chairman of the bench Barbara Shaw said: "We do find that you were unknowingly supplied with lager tops instead of the shandy you asked for.

"We’re not going to disqualify you on this occasion so you can continue driving, but you will have six points added to your licence so you must be careful."

Hughes was also ordered to pay a £475 fine and £620 court costs. He will remain on restricted duties until an internal investigation has been carried out by Manchester Police Professional Standards Branch.

Speaking after the trial, Paul Doyle, who is still working at the Flower Pot, said: "It was a one-off, an error. Nothing like that has every happened before and it will never happen again."