A TEENAGE motorist who fled from the police after being caught drink-driving after a festival avoided jail by the "skin of his teeth".

Tom Keeble had been at Jamie Oliver's Big Feastival in Kingham in August last year, where he had a few beers and a Mojito cocktail.

But the court heard when the 19-year-old was driving out of the food and music festival at Churchill Heath Farm, off the B4450, he was stopped by police.

Prosecutor Cathy Olliver told Oxford Crown Court on Thursday that police thought Keeble looked like he had been drinking.

She said: "His eyes were glazed and he spoke very carefully to the police."

Police breathalysed Keeble and found he had 44 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over the 35 microgram limit.

But Ms Olliver said when officers tried to arrest Keeble, he drove off.

She added: "Mr Keeble made a hasty decision and accelerated harshly away from the officers.

"He drove on to the B4450 without slowing down."

Keeble, now 20, was later arrested and admitted escaping from lawful custody and driving while unfit through drink.

But Gwawr Thomas, defending,[corr] said Keeble had shown "heartfelt" remorse and contrition for his crime.

She added: "This was an isolated moment of what can only be described as youthful stupidity."

Miss Thomas said Keeble, of Siskin Road, Upper Rissington, Glous., wanted to join the navy as an engineer.

Recorder Anna Laney said escaping from lawful custody was a serious matter and Keeble had been "unbelievably stupid".

But she said she could spare him jail by the "skin of his teeth" and handed Keeble a 12-month community order, with 150 hour's unpaid work.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months.