A DRUNKEN vet who smashed his Land Rover into another vehicle has been found guilty of disgraceful conduct.

Now William Sim faces being struck off by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Sim, 55, of Lockhouse Lane, New Earswick, York, careered into a Toyota stuck in rush-hour traffic and then offered the shocked driver a £50 note.

Then he failed to tell the college the full extent of his drink-driving conviction, telling it he had just been moving his vehicle from one parking space to another when the incident happened.

The smash was the latest in a series of drunken incidents, including swaying on his feet and reeking of drink at his former practice in Strensall Road, Earswick, and reducing a dog owner to tears by calling her a "complete idiot".

Sim had already admitted disgraceful conduct in a professional respect by being under the influence of alcohol on eight occasions when carrying out his duties.

Tribunal chairman Brian Jennings said any attempt to mislead the college had to be taken very seriously. "In his failure to set the facts straight, his behaviour did amount to disgraceful conduct."

Updated: 09:56 Wednesday, February 01, 2006