A barrister who failed a breath test while on a mercy mission to save his suicidal friend was today banned from driving for two years.

Former policeman David Robinson-Young, 50, ferried Jane Cooper less than a mile from her home to hospital after a dinner party, then drove off again to search for her when she fled the hospital threatening to "kill herself properly", a court was told.

The Newcastle-based lawyer was stopped by police a few hundred yards later and found to be more than twice the legal limit.

Magistrates who heard he had 82 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath fined Robinson-Young £350 but told him his ban would be reduced by six months if he agreed to go on a drink-drivers' programme.

The defendant, of St Peter's Basin, Newcastle, told officers after he was charged: "I only drove because I considered my friend's life was in danger."

Gateshead Magistrates' Court heard that the barrister had spent an evening at the home of Mrs Cooper and her estranged husband Martin last June.

They had shared a meal and about three bottles of wine when the barrister drank a glass of vodka as a night-cap.

Then Mrs Cooper, a journalist, told the defendant she had taken her second overdose of paracetamol within a week.

The defendant said he took her to hospital because he feared an ambulance or taxi would take too long to arrive.

He told the court today: "I took a purposeful decision that Jane's life was going to be put in serious danger unless I got her to hospital and got her treatment as soon as possible."

While Mr Cooper, also a former policeman, looked after their two children who were then aged three and five, the defendant took his friend of 10 years to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead from her home in the Low Fell area of the town.

She became very agitated when doctors did not give her charcoal solution to absorb the effects of the tablets - a procedure which she had undergone the previous week.

By the time her husband arrived at the hospital after arranging child care she told the two men she was leaving.

Giving evidence today tearful Mrs Cooper told the bench: "I said I'm not going to sit in here and die and promptly took myself off and I told them I would go and kill myself properly."

She ran off through the hospital car park and while Mr Cooper gave chase on foot Robinson-Young got into his Jaguar to head her off.

He told the court today he could not have caught her on foot because he was disabled after suffering leg injuries while serving as a police officer.

A patrol car followed him out of the hospital after officers had previously noticed him with glazed eyes and slurred speech. They arrested him after the breath test.

Peter Schofield, defending, told the magistrates his client was putting forward a defence of duress of circumstances.

"He thought it was a medical emergency upon which he was acting," Mr Schofield said.

Chairman of the bench Jackie Jauncey said the defendant's alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit but she said the bench had considered other factors when sentencing.

The defendant declined to comment as he left the court with his sister Christine Wilkinson.