Man who was twice the legal limit told North Yorkshire Police he was 'spangled'

• Video report by Michael Billington.

A driver who was twice the legal alcohol limit told police he was "spangled" after being stopped.

The driver was arrested for a number of offences after being pulled over by North Yorkshire Police officers.

It comes as the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership launches its annual Christmas drink and drug driving campaign.

During a ride along with ITV News, patrol officer Jack Dodsworth said he was specially-trained to look out for signs that somebody could be driving while under the influence.

He explained: "It’s little things like excess speed, or they take a late right hand turn or left hand turn.

"It’s that unconscious bias when they see the police and they have that little panic."

Within hours, PC Dodsworth stopped a van with two men inside after suspecting they had been drink driving. He was unable to establish which of the men it was behind the wheel, so both were tested.

One of the men came back with a blood alcohol content reading of 73, which is more than double the legal limit of 35.

PC Dodsworth said: "He's provided a reading twice the limit, so he’s been arrested for a number of offences, one of which is driving over the prescribed limit for alcohol.

"By his own admission, he’s ‘spangled’ were his words."

The other man tested positive for cocaine on a roadside test and was taken into custody to do a blood test.

The officer added: "At the moment we suspect they both could have been driving, so they’re both going to custody and get this sorted."

During the month-long Christmas period last year, North Yorkshire Police did more than 1,000 roadside tests and 121 drivers were found to be under the influence of drink or drugs.

The Department for Transport says deaths and injuries from drink driving have gone up since the pandemic.

PC Dodsworth told ITV News: "People think they’ve only had one or two pints, 'I’ll be fine, I’m only going up the road'.

"Well up that road there could be a four-year-old child who might run out in front of a car, and that delayed reaction because you’re impaired will cost their life."

This year, the campaign in North Yorkshire focuses on the ripple effect that is caused by serious or fatal crashes - including the impact on the victim and their family.

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