A GAS engineer may lose his job and house because an “enemy” tipped off police he was drink-driving, York magistrates heard.

Kathy Turnbull, prosecuting, said officers kept watch outside a pub on Shipton Road on the afternoon of January 7 until they saw Simon John O’Donnell get into a Land Rover and drive off. They stopped him nearby and he gave a blood test that revealed he was over the drink-drive limit.

He told York magistrates: “I think I have an enemy. I think I know who rang police. I think they were waiting for me to make a mistake.”

O’Donnell, 49, of Alwyne Drive, off Shipton Road, York, pleaded guilty to drink-driving. He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £400 and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £40 statutory surcharge.

He told the court he needed his licence for his work servicing and dealing with gas appliances in hotels, restaurants and other places. Without work he would be unable to pay the mortgage on his family’s home.

Ms Turnbull said the police control room received a call at 4.45pm that a man fitting O’Donnell’s description may be drink-driving and passed it on to officers who waited near the pub’s car park. When they saw him get into the Land Rover and drive off, they followed him and stopped him. A blood test gave a reading of 106 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.