A TEENAGER was disqualified yesterday after admitting riding his scooter above the drink-drive limit.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had drunk a couple of cans of lager before getting on his bike, Darlington Youth Court heard yesterday.

The boy was stopped by police and breathalised. He was found to have 53 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal level is 35 micrograms.

Steven Andrews, in mitigation, said his client had ended up at a party and could not resist the temptation to have a drink.

"He had a couple of cans of lager and felt okay to take the scooter home," he said.

He told the court that the teenager, who has a part-time job to pay for the bike, acted in "a moment of madness".

Magistrates disqualified the teenager for 12 months and sentenced him to a six-month conditional discharge plus £30 costs.