A MOTORIST who was nearly four times the drink drive limit at 8.45am has lost his job and licence but kept his liberty.

John Waterson, 52, repeatedly swerved back and forth across the centre line of the B1222 in Sherburn-in-Elmet on the morning of January 18, said Cathy Turnbull, prosecuting.

But, among the other drivers on the road was a police patrol, which pulled Waterson over and made him take a breath test. It gave a reading of 125 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Duty solicitor Meghan Waldron said he had taken to drink to cope with bad medical news that weekend when he had been diagnosed with a heart defect and spent almost a day in Accident and Emergency while also learning that someone close to him had been diagnosed with cancer.

"He doesn't cope well with news which is overwhelming in terms of his emotions," she said. The day after he was stopped he lost his job, the court was told.

York magistrates told Waterson: "We could send you to prison, but we have to consider your age, your clean record and the circumstances of that weekend and the fact you lost your job, which is also a penalty."

They made a 18-month community order with supervision, a 20-day alcohol rehabilitation programme and 200 hours' unpaid work. They also banned him from driving for two and a half years and ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £60 statutory surcharge.

Waterson, 52, of Leeds Road, Selby, pleaded guilty to drink driving. He had no previous convictions.

Miss Waldron said Waterson had mental health problems for which he had received treatment in the past and for which he needed further help.

He acknowledged that the consequences of his actions on January 18 could have been much worse if he had collided with another car. Although he is currently unemployed, he is looking for work.