A UNIVERSITY of York doctor has been banned from driving for two years for being three times the drink drive limit.

Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, said Simon Croft was clearly in drink as he came out of a takeaway on Ousegate, Selby, at 11pm on the August Bank Holiday, got into a car and drove off.

An eyewitness took the car's registration number and alerted police.

Officers tracked Croft to his Wistow home and gave him a breath test which produced a reading of 100 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Croft, of Garman Carr Lane, Wistow, pleaded guilty to drink driving. The mathematician and computer programmer with a doctorate in theoretical ecology is a research associate currently involved in climate change research at the university.

In addition to the two-year driving ban he was fined £500 and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £50 statutory surcharge.

For him, Patricia Walker said he had been drinking during the day because he had family difficulties, had had something to eat and then had gone back to the pub.

"He is ashamed of his behaviour," she said. "He is an extremely intelligent young man who is fully aware and accepts that his behaviour on that day not only put himself at risk, but also put other road users at risk."

Since his arrest, he had taken steps to address his drinking, including counselling and going to his GP.

Magistrates heard a probation report that Croft is a man under pressure. He has work that was demanding emotionally and involved long hours, according to a probation officer.

Mr Butterworth said Croft had little recollection of what had happened at 11pm. He had no previous convictions.