The socialist mayor of Trujillo (Cáceres), José Antonio Redondo, resigned yesterday after being convicted of drink-driving and civil disobedience.

At the trial at Cáceres provincial court on May 5th, it emerged that Mr Redondo was spotted using his mobile phone while driving "abnormally slowly" along an urbanised stretch of the EX-208 on April 16th in a car owned by the council.

Refusing to stop, the officers then observed the inebriated mayor "making an unjustifiably long stop at a Give Way sign," but were unable to charge him until after following him all the way to his home.

When breathalysed, Mr Redondo tested well over the legal maximum, was arrested, and has since been fined €3,225 euros, has had his driving licence withdrawn for eighteen months and will have to do forty days' community service.