A leading publican who is chairman of Christchurch Pubwatch has offered to resign after admitting drink driving.

Peter Lyon, the landlord of the Nelson Tavern, was handed a 12-month driving ban and ordered to pay £553 after he was caught driving while over the limit.

Lyon, 67, pleaded guilty at Bournemouth Magistrates Court and said it was a “moment of anger and frustration” and a “misjudgement”.

“It was me who put the key in the ignition and I should have thought about it more carefully,” he said.

“I have volunteered my resignation to Pubwatch and what they decide is entirely up to them.”

Nicola Reece, prosecuting, told magistrates Lyon was stopped by officers on mobile patrol in Christchurch on July 21. She said he was stopped because his Peugeot car had a defective indicator and rear tyre.

He was breathalysed at the roadside and twice at the police station and the lowest reading showed that he had 59mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Lyon’s barrister Justin Shale said his client was of previous good character and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He said: “He wasn’t expecting to drive that evening.

“The circumstances are that he was working in The Nelson restaurant and there was a call at the last minute for a delivery to be made.

“He volunteered to drive, not thinking he would be above the limit.”

He said Lyon, of Chichester Way in Mudeford, suffered from oesophagitis and Crohn’s disease and had not eaten properly for the previous two days.

He said the fact he had an empty stomach meant the “few glasses of strong beer” he had drunk that evening had more of an effect on him.

Lyon was ordered to pay a fine of £425, costs of £85 and a £43 victim surcharge.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months, which will be reduced by 91 days if he completes a drink-driving course.

His offer to resign as chairman of Pubwatch will be considered by members at their next meeting in September.

Lyon said afterwards: “I most definitely do not condone drink driving, this was an unfortunate set of circumstances.

“I was annoyed with my staff for taking the order, they hadn’t taken it correctly. I just got in the car to do the delivery not even thinking.

“Normally, I wouldn’t have a drink until I had done all my deliveries.”