A civil engineer is off the road for two years because he drove home after “boozing with mates”, York Magistrates' Court heard.

Richard Holmes, 40, of Ryedale, was almost three times the legal drink drive limit, said Kathryn Walters, prosecuting.

A member of the public who approached his car on the A64 near Rillington later told police he smelt strongly of alcohol.

A front seat passenger told police Holmes’ car was swerving over the white line, clipping the kerb on the nearside and then moving back to the central line.

Holmes, of Lime Tree Avenue, Malton, pleaded guilty to drink driving.

He was fined £400 and ordered to pay a £40 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs and banned from driving for two years.

For him, duty solicitor Julian White said: “It (the ban) is going to cause him significant problems.”

The civil engineer had to travel to different locations for his job.

“He had been boozing with his mates and he drove home,” said Mr White.

Ms Walters said a driver on the A64 at 1.30am on May 29 later told police Holmes was “clearly drunk”.

When officers went to the home of the car’s registered keeper, they found Holmes, who gave a breath test with a reading of 100 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Mr White said Holmes had no excuse and accepted he had behaved stupidly.