A DRINK-driver stopped by police on Boxing Day in Skipton after resorting to a 'hair of the dog ' lager told Skipton magistrates he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Toby Byers, 37, felt 'delicate' on December 26 after drinking heavily on Christmas Day and had drunk lager before setting out to drive to meet up with family members, the court heard on Friday.

A member of the public alerted police because of the manner of his driving and he was stopped on the A59 close to the A65 roundabout at Skipton.

He provided a positive roadside breath test and was taken to the police station where he was found to have 60 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

The court heard in mitigation that Byers was deeply remorseful, had stopped drinking since his arrest, had felt stupid about his lack of awareness on the amount of time alcohol stayed in the system, and had no wish to appear in court again.

Married with two children, he was a construction site manager who drove long distances, and there was now a question mark over his employment.

After drinking on Christmas Day, he had felt delicate the next day and had drunk one lager in the morning as a 'hair of the dog', the court was told.

Byers apologised in court to the police, other road users, his family and to his children for 'setting a bad example'.

He told the court: "I regret my decision to drive after drinking so heavily the day before. I shall regret it for the rest of my life. I have not drunk alcohol since my arrest and I am committed to cutting it out of my life. I want to be a better person and parent and will learn from this."

Byers, of previous good character, admitted drink driving, was banned from driving for 15 months and ordered to pay a total of £989 in a fine and costs.

The magistrates bench chairman told Byers that had he not had a 'hair of the dog' he might well not have been over the drink-drive limit.

The chairman added that for the first time in his long experience as a magistrate, the bench after listening to what Byers had to say had reduced the amount of ban imposed.

If Byers, of Skellbank, Ripon, completes a drink-driver rehabilitation course by October 27 this year, his ban will be reduced by 15 weeks.