Ban for drink-driver who crashed his car into hedge

A MAN from New Ash Green told police he "loved that car" after he crashed it into a hedgerow, causing £1,700 of damage.

James Stevens, 23, of Chapel Wood, was almost twice the legal drink-driving limit when he drove home from an Addington pub.

When he appeared at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court, counsel for the prosecution James Nichols explained Stevens had been driving his grey Saab on South Ash Road when he lost control and crashed into a hedgerow.

Police attended the scene and phoned the house of the registered owner of the car but there was no answer. When they went to Stevens' home they found him arriving in a taxi.

Stevens, a warehouse manager, admitted to police he had been driving and said: "Look what's happened – I have wrecked my car. I loved that car."

He was nearly twice the legal drink driving limit. A breath sample showed he had 69mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. Stevens's defence was that he had been to the Angel Inn, in Addington, to celebrate his mother's birthday.

He had driven there and planned to go home by taxi, picking up the car the next day.

However he could not get a taxi and as it was a cold night and the pub had closed Stevens decided to drive the 10 miles home.

Stevens was alone when he went off the road, the court was told. A passing motorist took him back to the pub and eventually a taxi did arrive and took the whole family home.

The court heard that Stevens "expressed remorse" for the damage to his own car and for the offence.

Chairman of the bench Jacqueline Hamilton told Stevens: "There is clear evidence of unacceptable standards of driving. You could have killed somebody."

He was disqualified for 18 months and fined £500, as well as being hit with £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.