A MAN who drove the wrong way up the A34 with two flat tyres while twice over the drink-drive limit has been jailed.

Antonio Gouveia, of Peachcroft Road, Abingdon, was told on Thursday by a judge in Oxford Crown Court his driving had been “terrifying”.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone said the 36-year-old fish and chip shop worker was spotted at about 2am on April 27 driving away from Oxford on the A34 towards junction nine of the M40.

He told Judge Peter Ross an HGV driver heading in the opposite direction was shocked to see Gouveia’s green BMW coming towards him on the wrong side of the road.

Mr Stone said the witness also realised the car’s front driver’s side tyre had been “shredded”, while the tyre behind it was missing altogether and the wheel was emitting sparks.

The police were called and arrested Gouveia, who also had a passenger in his car and a bottle of whisky in the door, the barrister said.

Mr Stone said the defendant had three convictions for four offences, including two for drink-driving in June 2010 and earlier in April this year.

Gouveia admitted dangerous driving, drink-driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Claire Fraser, defending, said her client had given a friend a lift home and his tyres were damaged when he hit a kerb.

She said: “He doesn’t try in any way to offer an excuse.

“Because he was drunk he didn’t realise he had entered the A34 in the wrong direction.”

Judge Ross said his damaged tyres on their own would have been enough to make Gouveia guilty of dangerous driving and told him: “What you did that night, there is only one word for it – terrifying.”

“You put yourself and your passenger at great risk, but more importantly you put members of the public at great risk of serious harm or death.”

Judge Ross sentenced him to two years in prison, with a five-year driving ban and told him to pay £120 costs, a £100 victim surcharge and a £180 criminal courts charge.