A MOTORIST ran off after he demolished a lamppost with his van and then told police his vehicle had been stolen.

A judge told Taunton Crown Court Matthew Nicolls was "either drunk or is such a bad driver he drives into lampposts".

Nicolls, 37, of Courtfield, Milverton, was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for two years after today (Monday) admitting perverting the course of justice.

Prosecutor Caroline Bolt told the court that Nicolls was spotted getting out of the driver's seat of his van after the crash in Staplegrove Road, Taunton, in the early hours of November 26 last year.

He had fled the scene by the time police arrived and later reported his vehicle missing to police and his insurance company.

But police investigations costing £759.90 discovered his blood on the airbag.

Tara Wolfe, defending, said married father-of-three Nicolls, a self-employed ground work supervisor, had made "a series of foolish decisions" at a time of difficulties in his marriage due to his heavy drinking, which he is trying to address.

Sentencing Nicolls, Judge David Ticehurst said: "He was either drunk or is such a bad driver he drives into lampposts."

The judge said Nicolls should simply have stayed with his van and waited for the police to arrive on the scene, As well as the suspended prison sentence, Nicolls was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and to pay £750 compensation to Avon and Somerset Police.

"They (the police) have far better things to do - they can catch burglars and robbers rather than waste time with people like you," said the judge.

He advised Nicolls to give up smoking, which costs him £30 a week, so that he can afford to pay off the compensation at a rate of £25 a week.

"Think how much healthier you will be," added the judge.