A MAN who drank cider in his parked Jaguar after spending time at the Devonshire Spa at Bolton Abbey has been banned from driving after admitting being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

Russell Marshall, 55, from Addingham, was reported to police by staff at the spa because of his ‘bizarre’ behaviour during the afternoon of February 8, heard Skipton Magistrates Court today (Tuesday).

When police arrived, they found him inside his Jaguar, parked in the car park of The Devonshire Arms. The car windows were steamed up, the engine was running - although the car was not moving - and Marshall was ‘severely intoxicated’, there was also a number of empty bottles in the car, the court heard.

A breath test revealed he had 103 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit for driving is 35.

Marshall, who originally denied being in charge of a car while over the limit, changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial.

In mitigation, John Kelly, said Marshall had no intention of driving and it had been his plan to return home by taxi after swimming at the spa and having supper in the restaurant.

Marshall had been a member of the spa for 20 years and had driven there at 1pm after finishing work for the day at the Co-op in Ilkley.

While there, he had chosen to drink cider he had bought at staff price from the Co-op, which was ‘considerably’ cheaper than the alcohol at the hotel, said Mr Kelly.

He thought he would have just one cider, but has carried on drinking, said Mr Kelly, who added he had the engine of the car running because it was a cold day and he wanted the heater on.

Mr Kelly said Marshall's wife did not drive and he had an elderly mother who relied on him to take him to appointments.

"He is not someone who adopts a cavalier attitude to the courts, there was no likelihood of him driving while the proportion of alcohol in his blood was likely to exceed the limit," said Mr Kelly.

Marshall, of St Ian’s Croft, Addingham, was banned from driving for four months and fined £233. He will also have to pay costs of £400 and a surcharge of £30.