Biker was over drink-drive limit (From Craven Herald)

Biker was over drink-drive limit

2:26pm Thursday 3rd January 2013 in News

A motorcyclist who was thrown from his bike after skidding on gravel in Gargrave was over the drink-drive limit, Skipton magistrates heard.

Mark Monaghan, from Barnoldswick, was also found to be in possession of 28 pills of Diazepam sleeping tablets, a class C drug, the court was told.

Police called to reports of an accident on Marton Road on October 21, found Monaghan had been thrown clear while his Honda CBR motorcycle had continued along the road and into the back of a Citroen van.

Monaghan gave a breath test which was on the borderline so was given the option of a urine test. The test proved he had 117 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. The legal limit is 107.

Prosecutor Caroline Midgley said a search of Monaghan while he was in custody revealed 28 prescription sleeping tablets made out to a Donald Stewart. He told police that they had been given to him by his stepfather to help him sleep.

In mitigation, John Kelly said he had drunk two ciders and believed he was fine to drive. “There was grit on the road, the motorcycle accelerated and went over,” he said.

Monaghan, of Coates Avenue, was banned from driving for a year and fined £110 with £85 costs and a £20 victims surcharge. There was no separate penalty for the possession offence, but magistrates made an order for the drugs to be forfeited and destroyed.