'Sensible drinking' campaigner banned for drink driving

Campaigner John Garton told the court he had been working in a pub during a festival, and had been tasting the barrels before recklessly getting behind the wheel.

Garton, who is is chairman of Stopping Trouble and Nighttime Disorder (STAND), admitted driving over the legal limit at Skipton Magistrates' Court.

He was nearly three times over the legal limit when he was stopped by police on May 2, this year.

He told the court that he had been tasting barrels while working in a pub during the Skipton Waterway Festival and claimed he had only drunk one pint of "strong ale" in addition.

He said he believed it was the tasting of the changed barrels that put him over the limit.

Following the hearing, Garton, said he was still chairman of STAND, which bans people from pubs for unruly and drunken behaviour. But he said but the matter would be discussed at the next committee meeting.

"I have been punished by the court and have beaten myself up about what I did," he said

Caroline Midgley, prosecuting, said that police had seen Garton at 1.15am, driving a Toyota Corolla - when officers spoke to him he admitted that he had been drinking.

A roadside breath test came up positive and he was taken to the police station where he was found to have 92 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35.

Garton, 42, who was not represented in court, said he wanted to apologise for wasting court and police time.

He said: "It was the Waterway Festival. I work in a pub and I had not intended to drive home.

"During work I had drunk a pint of strong ale and had tasted each new barrel when I'd changed them over."

Magistrates banned Garton, of Skipton, for two years and fined him 230. He was also ordered to pay 80 costs and a 15 victims' surcharge.

If he completes a drink-driver's rehabilitation course costing 250 by August 2012 his ban will be reduced to 18 months.

STAND, which is made up of licensees and police officers, has more than 100 pubs and clubs as members.

In January 2008, STAND declared it was banning ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown form Craven pubs for six months in reaction to the Government's ban on smoking in public places.

At the time Garton said the ban which had been implemented as a bit of fun, was to highlight the disruption and discomfort it had brought smokers.