A MOTORIST who drove home from the pub while more than twice the legal limit has been banned for almost four years, thanks to a tip-off phone call to police.

Richard Joseph Grenda, 64, appeared before York Magistrates’ Court charged with drink-driving, after he was reported to the police by a member of the public who saw him leave the Flag and Whistle pub in Huntington, York, and get into his car to drive less than half a mile home to Meadowfields Drive.

A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said the caller “reported concerns about his fitness to drive”, and the Road Crime Team were dispatched to track him down on the evening of April 8.

Police found Grenda’s vehicle at his home address, and he was taken to carry out a breathalyser test at Fulford Road Police Station. It showed he had 86 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35.

Grenda had already been disqualified from driving for three-and a-half years in 2008 over a drink-driving offence, and was ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work for the same charge.

Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Drink-driving is a serious offence which North Yorkshire Police works hard to tackle all year round.

“It is very frustrating that despite our repeated warnings and the well-documented dangers of drink-driving, people are still willing to take the risk.

“We value the assistance the public can give us about people they suspect of getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol, which allows us to target the right areas at the right times.

“I urge people to keep providing us with information and intelligence about suspected drink-drivers so that we can continue our efforts to make North Yorkshire’s roads safer.”

Grenda was given a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge, and was banned from driving for three years and ten months.

Anyone with information about a suspected drink-driver is urged to phone police on 101.