Ex-Wales striker Dean Saunders has been released from jail just 24 hours into a 10-week sentence.
The Swansea-born former footballer was locked up on Wednesday after he admitted failing to provide a breath specimen when stopped by police while at the wheel of his Audi R8.
Saunders, 55, was jailed at Chester Magistrates’ Court after he admitted failing to comply with a roadside breath test and failing to provide a breath specimen.
Police had stopped him after spotting his car veering across the road in the early hours of May 10 this year in Boughton, Chester.
On Thursday his lawyers launched a bail application held in private without access to press or public.
Judge Steven Everett granted Saunders bail until his appeal against the jail sentence is heard on October 4, according to the court clerk, approached by the PA news agency after the hearing had ended and the court reopened to press and public.
The details were confirmed by Saunders’s solicitor, Conor Johnstone, who added: “Clearly, he will be relieved.” No bail conditions were imposed, Mr Johnstone said.
Dad-of-three Saunders, who played for Wales 75 times, had been branded “arrogant” by District Judge Nicholas Sanders, passing sentence on Wednesday, who told the BT Sport and Talksport pundit he had shown no remorse and thought he was “above the law”.
The court heard the offences happened after ex-Wolves and Wrexham boss Saunders, who also played for both hometown club Swansea City and rivals Cardiff City during a 19-year playing career, said he had been out at Chester Races and had drunk two pints.
His lawyer suggested this may have “interacted” with the medication he takes for injury to his knees and his inhaler for his asthma.
Police who arrested him said Saunders was slurring his speech and had to prop himself up against his car when he was asked to get out of the vehicle.
Saunders’ speech was slurred and it was difficult for the officers to understand what he was saying, the court was told.
He was asked to provide a roadside breath test, refused three times, and was then arrested.
At the police station in Blacon, Chester, despite numerous requests, he again refused to provide a specimen.
Saunders later claimed he believed, wrongly, that he was entitled to see his solicitor before giving a specimen.
The broadcaster was also banned from driving for 30 months and ordered to pay £620 court costs at the magistrates' court hearing, which was told by probation officer Kim Graham that Saunders' work as a pundit required travel all around the country making a sentence of carrying out unpaid work impractical.
Passing sentence District Judge 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 added: “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.
“I do not accept you were confused. You consistently refused to cooperate.”
