A DRIVER stopped by police in Keighley Road, Skipton, after he came up behind them at speed, was over the drink-drive limit, the town's magistrates were told.

The officers pulled over to let Paul Green pass in the early hours of May 10, but caught up with him again because he was swerving along the road, the court heard.

A roadside breath test put him at 79 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35, but at the police station, he refused to go along with the evidential test.

Green, 22, of Ryeland Street, Cross Hills, who admitted failing to provide a specimen for analysis, was banned from driving for 40 months after magistrates heard he had received a two-year ban for drink-driving in 2013.

In mitigation, John Mewies said Green lived with his parents, who were not very well, and led a very quiet social life.

He worked in a factory and on May 10 had been drinking at a friend's house.

Mr Mewies said Green had believed he was safe to drive and it being 12.30am, he was one of the few cars on the road, putting him at the attention of police.

He had co-operated with police, but at the station had wrongly believed he could provide a specimen of blood.

In addition to the 40-month ban, Green was fined £300 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £30.