A DRIVER stopped by police because of a suspect rear tyre was over the drink drive limit, heard Skipton magistrates.

Mohammed Ali, 29, was stopped by two officers in an armed response vehicle at 3am on September 16 just after pulling out of a car park off the A59 at Blubberhouses, the court heard.

As he turned up Church Hill towards Otley, officers noticed one of the rear tyres of his BMW appeared flat.

After failing a roadside breath test, he was taken to Harrogate Police Station, while his car was left secure in the car park. At the station he was found to have 40 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Ali, a man of previous good character, who admitted drink driving, claimed he had only moved his car because the officers had pulled up behind him.

Ali, of The Common, Sheffield, was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £195 with costs of £85 and surcharge of £30. If he completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course his ban will be reduced by 12 weeks.