Nidderdale businessman was four times the drink drive limit at midday

Richard Bowerman, 48, of Greenhow Hill near Harrogate, was breathalysed after he crashed his car on Duck Street, Greenhow on April 17, 2014. He was found to have 155 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Mr Bowerman who owns the Dales tourist attraction, Stump Cross Caverns, pleaded not guilty to drink driving, but was later found guilty by Harrogate Magistrates.

He was sentenced on July 23, 2015, and in addition to his driving ban, he was given an 18-week prison sentence suspended for months, ordered to pay costs of £930 and ordered to take part in a drink driver’s rehabilitation programme.

The conviction is his second for drink driving after previously being caught driving at almost twice the drink drive limit in 2010.

Traffic Constable Neil Cholmondeley of North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, said: “The gravity of the offence is reflected in the sentencing for this case. However, Mr Bowerman is very lucky to have escaped with just a driving ban and suspended sentence, the consequences could have been far worse. He is also very luck indeed to have escaped the collision without injury.

“It is astounding that drivers still believe they can get away with drink driving despite the very high profile campaigns highlighting the dangers. I hope the sentence sends a warning to others who may be tempted to drink and drive.”

North Yorkshire Police attended the scene of the crash at around 12.20pm on the afternoon of April 17, 2014 after being called be the ambulance service.

On arrival Mr Bowerman’s Subaru Impreza was found to have left the road and crashed into a drainage ditch at the side of the road.