A GP has been banned from driving for 40 months after admitting his second drink-driving offence in three years.

Magistrates in Llandudno heard the circumstances of the two incidents were almost identical, both involving Dr John Charles Thompson coming off his motorbike on the A55.

Thompson, 72, of Parc Benarth, Conwy, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol on April 13 and in addition to the disqualification was fined 1,500 pounds and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £150 surcharge.

Prosecutor James Neary said that on the evening police received reports of sparks coming from a collision in Penmaenbach tunnel and they found Thompson had come off his BMW machine.

They could smell alcohol on his breath and though he was not injured he was taken to hospital for a check-up. He was found to have 158 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80.

Mr Neary said that in May, 2015, was convicted of driving with 149 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood after coming off his motorbike on the A55 at Aber, near Bangor.

Donald Roberts, defending, told the court that Thompson, who retired as a GP in 2013 but had since been working as a locum in the Caernarfon area, had been drinking wine at home with his wife and had no intention to drive.

“Mrs Thompson was unhappy that he was working every weekend as a locum, more or less out of normal hours,” he said. “That interfered with the prospects of them visiting their children who live outside the area.

“That discussion became heated and he foolishly decided to ride away to clear his head.”

Thompson, he said, was riding at a low speed when he clipped the kerb.

“He has reported the incident to the GMC and he is waiting to hear from them,” Mr Roberts added.

Before leaving the court Thompson told the Bench: “The whole thing has absolutely broken my heart, but thank you.”