Courts asks what do with a drunken sea captain.

A BOOZY sea captain repeatedly left his post while towing two huge ships into the River Tyne, a court heard.

Caj Kristian Eklund, 50, was the master of large tug ship Eide Wrestler, when suspicions arose he was drunk, South Tyneside Magistrates were told yesterday. The police were informed after a pilot began to suspect Eklund had been drinking and the breath test revealed he was more than three times over the limit. Eklund showed 118 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Empty beer cans were found littered on the bridge of the ship, the court heard.

Eklund, from Simreshamn, Sweden, made no plea to the offence of being a master of a vessel at sea after consuming excess alcohol - an offence under the 2003 Railways and Transport Safety Act.

Prosecutor Caroline McGuirk, said: "The defendant was in charge of a vessel which was towing two ships into the harbour, the length of the rope was 280metres.

"The defendant repeatedly left the bridge sometimes for up to 30 minutes and later he showed no interest in the docking of the vessel. A later search of his cabin uncovered several empty beer cans. I can find no case law from the usual case studies that will help you.

"A slightly similar case was tried at York Crown Court where the master was fined pounds 1,000.

"The Crown would suggest this kind of matter is dealt with at the Crown Court."

He was remanded in custody for a further 24 hours but is expected to be allowed home to Sweden before his next court appearance at Newcastle Crown Court on January 5.