A POLICE sergeant from North Yorkshire has admitted falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a parked car while on duty.

Andrew David Farrar, 40, drove his police BMW into a parked car in Tadcaster while on a night shift on October 8, Scarborough Magistrates’ Court heard.

Jenni Kilvington, prosecuting, said the owner of the parked car had been getting ready for work at 5.35am when he heard the crash.

She said: “He saw the police officer and thought he had come quickly to the accident.

“The officer told him it was his fault due to him falling asleep at the wheel.”

Because of the sensitive nature of Sgt Farrar’s police work, The Press is unable to report his exact duties or his home address; however, it is known he works throughout North Yorkshire.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the court was shown a recording from inside the police car at the moment of impact.

It showed a dazed Sgt Farrar sitting still for several seconds and rubbing his head, before leaving the car.

Sgt Farrar told the hearing he felt no signs he was about to fall asleep.

He said that he had worked for four consecutive days when the accident occurred and had returned to work at 10pm on October 7, after finishing his previous shift at midnight.

He had performed clerical duties before he got into his car at 1.30am and drove for three hours before arriving at Fulford Road Police Station in York.

The chairman of the bench said the officer had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and that it had been a minor accident.

Farrar was handed a £130 fine with costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15. Three penalty points were put on his licence.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “We are satisfied with the decision of the courts. We have no plans to take any disciplinary action against Sgt Farrar, who will remain in his current post.”