A vodka drinker drove to a doctor's surgery for a prescription and was given a lift home for safety's sake.
But police later called on Mark Daws who was found to be over the drink-drive limit, city magistrates heard.
That left him with a 30-month driving ban and a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for a year.
Ben Payne, prosecuting, said Daws arrived at a surgery at 1pm on December 7 and raised concerns among staff.
"He appeared to be drunk after apparently driving. They persuaded him to let someone take him home instead," he told the court.
Police officers later called at Daws' home on Bramble Close, Bilsthorpe, and immediately noticed "a strong smell of alcohol."
Mr Payne went on: "He was clearly still drunk and unsteady. His eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred."
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Daws was taken to hospital and gave police officers a drink-drive sample at 4.30pm.
He had a reading of 129 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 94 over the legal limit. He admitted drink-driving.
A probation report said Daws drank daily and favoured vodka. He suffers from anxiety and depression and had to arrange his father's funeral in December.
Nikki Carlisle, mitigating, said Daws witnessed a neighbour launching an attack on a woman. He prepared to give evidence at an attempted murder trial.
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"It became incredibly traumatic to deal with and later his father passed away," said Miss Carlisle.
On the day of the offence, Daws drove to the doctor's surgery for a prescription.
Miss Carlisle added: "Fortunately the doctor stopped him driving. He is grateful for that."
As part of the penalty, Daws was ordered to undergo six months treatment for problems with alcohol.
Presiding magistrate Caroline Exton told him national guidelines suggested 12 weeks in custody for such a high alcohol reading.
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