HUNDREDS of revellers in York including a 97-year-old man were fined for being drunk and disorderly in the past five years.

Information obtained by The Press under the Freedom of Information Act shows that between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2009, police handed out 1,439 fixed-penalty notices.

Each notice requires the offender to pay an £80 fine, netting North Yorkshire Police more than £115,000 during the five-year period.

The handing out of fines for drunken behaviour reached its peak during the 12-month period between October 2006 and September 2007, when 387 penalty notices were issued.

That figure had dropped by 30 per cent during the period October 2008 to September 2009, when 267 fixed-penalty notices were handed out.

Of the 1,439 people fined during the whole five-year period, 1,251 were men and 188 were women – 15 per cent of the total.

Nine pensioners, including a 97-year-old man, were fined, along with 308 teenagers, of whom 49 were underage.

Jane Mowat, director of the Safer York Partnership, said they were determined to tackle disorder related to excessive alcohol consumption and the problems associated with underage drinking.

She said: “Working closely with trading standards, the police and City of York Council, the partnership regularly targets bars, pubs, clubs and off-licences through test-purchase operations.

“The Stay Safe Scheme, where young people found to be involved in nuisance and antisocial behaviour are taken to a place of safety and their parents are notified by police and requested to collect them, has assisted in reducing the levels of under-age alcohol related issues over the summer.”

Superintendent Lisa Winward, of York Police, said: “Taking the children to a place of safety in a nearby church hall enabled parents to be contacted to collect their children while having the opportunity to speak to alcohol and drugs advisory services and feel supported by Children’s Services and partnership agencies.

“Many parents were very grateful for the intervention, having believed that their child was visiting friends and was safe and well rather than in the city centre.”