FORMER Oxford United footballer Dean Saunders has been jailed. 

The 55-year-old was sentenced to 10 weeks jail time at Chester Magistrates' Court, after pleading guilty to failing to comply with a roadside breath test and failing to provide a breath sample for analysis.

He looked crestfallen when he realised he was going to jail as keys jangled and prison officers entered the dock.

Saunders, who was capped by Wales 75 times, later became a manager and is a regular football TV pundit. 

He was also banned from driving for 30 months and ordered to pay court costs of £620.

ALSO READ: 'Magnificent' hometown statue delights Lester Piggott

Saunders - who played 59 times for Oxford, scoring 22 goals - was stopped on suspicion of drink driving by police in Boughton, Chester, on May 10.

Having initially denied both charges at an earlier hearing, Saunders, of The Paddocks, Whitegate, near Northwich, Cheshire, entered his guilty plea indicated through his lawyers on Tuesday that he would not be contesting the charges and entered his guilty plea this morning. 

He said he had been out at Chester Races and had drunk two pints, with his lawyer suggesting this may have "interacted" with the medication he takes for knee problems and his inhaler for his asthma.

Police who arrested him said Saunders was slurring his speech and had to prop himself up against his Audi A8 car when he was asked to get out of the vehicle.

ALSO READ: Woman punched repeatedly while holding newborn, trial hears

Passing sentence, District Judge Nicholas Sanders told him: "Throughout these proceedings you have shown yourself to be arrogant, thinking you are someone whose previous and current role in the public eye entitles you to be above the law.

"In fact the opposite is true - someone in the public eye should expect a deterrent sentence when they flout the law."

Judge Sanders continued: "Your driving came to the attention of police officers. You very nearly caused a serious accident.

"They were seriously concerned you may cause an accident. You were stopped and failed to provide a breath specimen and continued with this obstructive and evasive conduct at the police station.

ALSO READ: Trial set for plot to 'cover-up' Christopher Lemonius murder

"I do not accept you were confused. You consistently refused to co-operate."

He also told Saunders, a father-of-three, that, despite police body-cam footage and "overwhelming evidence", it was only on Tuesday that he had decided to admit his guilt and he had shown "no real remorse".

The court heard that, at around 12.45am on Friday May 10, a police patrol in Chester city centre spotted Saunders' car driving at speed and failing to give way at a roundabout, causing another vehicle to brake.

The car continued to drive erratically, braking and swerving to avoid hitting another vehicle, crossing over the white line in the road.

ALSO READ: Oxford United's potential opponents ahead of tonight's Carabao Cup draw

The officers decided to pull Saunders over and could smell "intoxicants".

Outside court, Conor Johnstone, defending Saunders, said he would be appealing against the sentence as he believed it was excessive.

Mr Johnstone had told the court that Saunders believed he was entitled to see his solicitor before giving a specimen at the police station and was just mistaken about that.