A 23-year-old man could not explain why he drove home after drinking with friends, Skipton magistrates were told.

Daniel Hudson-Mellor was more than twice over the drink-drive limit when he was involved in a minor collision on the A65 at Hellifield, the court heard.

Hudson-Mellor, a man with no previous convictions, often went out at the weekends with friends, but always arranged to stay overnight, or to be collected by his mother.

On May 26, police who were called to the minor collision breathalysed Hudson-Mellor, who gave a positive road side breath test and was taken to the police station where he was found to have 96 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35 imcrogrammes.

Hudson-Mellor, of Main Street, Hellifield, admitted drink-driving, but could not explain why he had got into his car to drive home.

In mitigation, Lisa Julian said he was a qualified electrician who was in danger of losing his job.

He was very ashamed for both himself and his family.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with 70 hours’ unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for 24 months and ordered to pay costs of £85 and victims surcharge of £60.

If he completes a drink drivers’ rehabilitation course costing up to £250 by October next year, his ban will be reduced by 182 days.