SERIAL drink-driver John Sharp was caught for the fourth time in four years when police were called to his North Yorkshire home after he locked himself out, a court heard.

Harrogate magistrates were told yesterday how Sharp, 48, greeted officers on his doorstep in Crawford Close, Tockwith, near York, on March 21, with a glass of whisky in his hand.

Defence solicitor Geoffrey Boothby said Sharp had told police he had driven to the shops after drinking earlier in the day. ''When he had come home he had been locked out and while he was trying to get in somebody phoned the police.''

Prosecutor Sue Kerr said a breath test showed Sharp was more than three times the drink-drive limit and police inquiries revealed he was on bail for a similar offence in November last year, when his breath reading was close to three times the limit after a minor accident in Tockwith.

When Sharp pleaded guilty to two drink-drive offences, he also admitted having neither insurance nor licence on both occasions, and the Bench was told he had two earlier convictions for drink-driving, both since 1999.

Mr Boothby said Sharp had drunk after the November incident as well, having been at home for two hours when police called. The court was entitled to take into account the views of an expert who said that on both occasions the reading would have been reduced without the extra alcohol.

Presiding magistrate Vivien Crabb made Sharp subject to an interim driving ban, but adjourned sentence until June 3. After being told by Mr Boothby that Sharp had ''various health and drinking problems'' and had recently left hospital following a seizure, she agreed the court would need a medical report.

She also called for probation reports, warning Sharp they would consider all sentencing options, including prison.

Updated: 09:19 Friday, May 02, 2003