Drink-driving TV host dropped

Alastair Stewart's Mercedes had collided with a hedge

Presenter Alastair Stewart has been dropped from ITV1 show Police, Camera, Action after admitting drink-driving in court.

The 50-year-old was more than three times the limit when his car crashed in Wood Lane, north of Winchester, Hampshire, on 19 June.

The father of four, of Bramdean, Hampshire, pleaded guilty at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

He was fined £2,000 and banned from driving for 23 months for drink-driving.

Stewart, who was one of News At Ten's regular presenters until 1992 and later a war correspondent, most recently presented the ITV1 show Police, Camera, Action.

You, of all people, should realise the potential consequences that could happen

Chairwoman of the bench

Rupert Pardoe, defending, said the producers of Police, Camera, Action! had decided following the incident that it was no longer appropriate for Stewart to present the show.

Sentencing Stewart, chairwoman of the bench Julia Etheridge said: "You have pleaded guilty to an horrendous act of drink-driving.

"You, of all people, should realise the potential consequences that could happen.

Prison threat

"We have considered a custodial sentence. However, due to your remorse and your guilty plea at the earliest opportunity, we are going to deal with this by way of a disqualification and a fine."

Mrs Etheridge warned Stewart that if he drove during the period of disqualification, he could be imprisoned.

Stewart agreed to take part in a driver disqualification rehabilitation course, which will reduce his ban so he will be able to drive again in May 2005.

Had he not agreed to the course, his fine would have been £3,000.