A MAN under the threat of a suspended prison sentence lied to police about who was driving his vehicle because he was frightened he would be sent into custody, a court heard.

Thomas Lund, 31, now of Craven Lane, Gomersal, near Cleckheaton, said he had not been driving after testing positive for alcohol and that the driver had got out after pulling into a lay-by in Grassington Road, Skipton.

Skipton Magistrates Court heard that police had been made aware that Lund was driving from Kettlewell in the direction of Skipton.

At just before 8pm on June, 29, an officer saw Lund's truck stationary in a lay-by and pulled up behind it. The lights were on and the engine was running.

Lund provided a positive roadside test and was taken to the police station where he was found to have 40 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

When he was interviewed, he said he had been drinking at the Kings Head in Kettlewell. He said he had not been driving the vehicle and that the male driver had got out in the lay-by, but would not say who he was, or his female passenger.

Lund, who in court on Friday admitted drink driving, drank four to five pints every day and more at the weekends and was 'on the cusp' of being alcohol dependent, the court heard from probation. He accepted that he was in breach of a suspended prison sentence.

In mitigation, Siobhan White, said: "He foolishly told officers that someone else was driving the vehicle when he knew it was not true. He panicked. He knew he had a suspended sentence and thought he would go to prison."

Lund was given a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months in February after pleading guilty to wasting police time. For calling 999 on December 28, 2023, and saying someone had been shot, he was also banned from drinking alcohol for 90 days and ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work.

Magistrates told Lund, that they had pulled back from activating the suspended prison sentence but warned him if he offended again between now and when the order ended it would be very likely that he would be sent to prison.

He was told the order would stay in place and with an additional six months alcohol treatment requirement.

Lund, a fabricator, was also banned from driving for 38 months and fined £291. He will also have to pay a surcharge of £116 and costs of £85. If he completes a drink drivers rehabilitation course, his ban will be reduced by 38 weeks .