LEYBURN'S 'gentleman of the road' was sent to prison last week for a string of motoring offences.

Vagrant Mel Bird appeared at Richmond magistrates court, where he admitted drink-driving, driving while disqualified and with no insurance.

Recent guidance issued by the Lord Chief Justice suggests that anyone convicted of driving while disqualified for the first time should not face a custodial sentence.

But 58-year-old Bird was also four times over the legal drink-drive limit when he was stopped by police on Northallerton's High Street on September 27, and the Bench decided he should be sent straight to jail.

He was given the maximum six-month sentence for drink-driving and driving while disqualified. Both sentences will run concurrently.

No separate penalty was imposed for driving with no insurance.

Mitigating, solicitor Peter Furness told magistrates that Bird, who lives in a caravan on Leyburn's Moor Road, used £150 of a £7,800 inheritance to buy his car.

He believed that a ten-year ban imposed for his fourth drink-driving offence in 1984 had expired, but he had forgotten his punishment also included a condition that he passed another driving test before he reclaimed his licence.

Mr Furness said: "This is not a case of him flagrantly ignoring the law. He was simply unaware that he still had to pass a test before he could drive."

Mr Furness said Bird had not realised he was over the drink-drive limit when he was stopped by police as he had not been drinking that day. He explained the high reading must have been a result of an evening's heavy drinking the night before.

However, despite a character reference given by Bird's friend Betty Grass, magistrates remained unswayed and decided custody was the only appropriate punishment.

Mr Furness confirmed Bird is to appeal. He is also due to appear at the same court next month to face two separate charges of threatening or disorderly conduct.