A DRIVER on his way to buy pain killers in the early hours of the morning was over the drink-drive limit, heard Skipton Magistrates' Court.

Simon Whiteside, 47, who the court heard was the carer for both his parents, had a previous drink drive conviction in 2012.

He had had been watching football with a friend the day before and had been drinking, the court heard.

In pain with a tumour on his shoulder, he had gone to Tesco, to find it had shut at midnight, and was driving along Crag Lane, Bradley on his way to a late night shop, when he was stopped by police.

He failed a road side breath test, and was taken to the police station where he was found to have 44 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Whiteside, of Greenfield Street, who admitted drink driving, was banned from driving for three years and fined £120. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £30. If he completes a drink driving rehabilitation course, his ban will be reduced by 36 weeks.