A policeman arrested by his own colleagues for drink-driving has failed in a High Court bid to have his conviction quashed.

British Transport Police (BTP) officer Darren Ridehalgh was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £200 at Crawley Magistrates Court in September last year after colleagues smelt alcohol on his breath.

Lawyers on his behalf argued the conviction should be quashed, claiming an inspector at Crawley Police station had "interviewed" the BTP officer without first giving an official caution.

But Mr Justice Gibbs, sitting at London's High Court, ruled the magistrates had been "perfectly entitled" to reach the decision they did - and ordered that the conviction must stand.

He said: "The justices were entitled to reach the opinion they did for the reasons they gave."