A WELL-respected manager with an acute dependence on alcohol was more than three times over the drink-drive limit when he pulled into his driveway in Cross Hills, Skipton magistrates heard.

Robert Mount, 38, had drunk a bottle of wine a short distance from his home in Bank Road after leaving work on November 21, the court heard on Friday.

Magistrates told him he could have been sent to prison, but instead handed him a two-year community order, banned him from driving for 32 months, and ordered him to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

The court heard a member of the public had seen Mount at 2pm and had alerted the police, who after breathalysing him, took him to the police station. He was found to have 132 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Mount, who admitted drink-driving, had a full, clean driving licence and no previous convictions, the court was told.

In mitigation, John Mewies said Mount was a discharged bankrupt whose business - which he had run with his wife in Cross Hills - had failed in the recession.

As a result, he had developed an acute dependency on alcohol that had resulted in an inflamed pancreas which required regular hospital treatment.

Despite his dependence on alcohol, Mount, a married man with children, was a well-thought of IT manager with a company based a short distance from Skipton.

Mr Mewies said he had finished work at 1.30pm and had stopped a short distance away from his home to drink the bottle of wine - so topping up on the previous evening.

His car had needed attention, and it was when he was out of it, that he was probably seen by the member of public.

The court was told hat Mount had been almost grateful that his situation had come to a head, that it could have resulted in injury to someone else, and he had wanted to be punished.

He had been assured by his employers that he would not lose his job, as long as he was able to fulfil his contract.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £60. If he completes a drink-drivers rehabilitation course by October 30, 2016, his ban will be reduced by 32 weeks.