A farmer faces almost two years off the roads following a second drink drive conviction.

Henry Frederick John Anderson appeared at York Magistrates’ Court for his latest offence of drink driving after falling foul of a seasonal police campaign to dissuade motorists taking to the roads while under the influence of alcohol.

Emily Hitch, prosecuting, told the court the 30-year-old defendant was more than twice the drink drive limit when he was pulled over by police, on Sunday December 11.

Anderson, of Ainderby Miers, near Northallerton, admitted the charge of driving with excess alcohol in his system.

Read more: Drink drivers banned in North Yorkshire - 17 arrests in York

In addition to imposing a 22-month driving disqualification, the magistrates also ordered the defendant to pay a total £639 court bill, consisting of a £396 fine, a £158 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

Phil Morris, representing Anderson, said the driving ban would cause his client difficulties as he had to move farm machinery from field to field, and he would not be able to do so using public roads during the period of the disqualification.

Miss Hitch told court that Anderson had been to a garage just off the A1 at Leeming Bar on his way home on the day of the offence, having just pulled off the forecourt when the police pulled him over to carry out the test.

Read next:

               The truth on police checking for drink drivers at Christmas

               Drink drivers arrested in first week of Christmas crackdown

               Police out in force in pre-Christmas drink drive crackdown in North Yorkshire

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It appeared to have been a routine police check.

The court heard Anderson’s first drink driving conviction dated from August 2011.

  • North Yorkshire Police has been running its annual Christmas campaign against drink and drug driving since December 1.