Butleigh drink driver ploughed his car into a fence after three glasses of wine

Adam Porter had drunk three glasses of wine when he decided to drive to the shop to buy some whisky.

After leaving the scene of the accident police found him at his home and he said he had drunk another one and a half glasses of wine to calm his nerves.

The 38-year-old of Water Lane failed a breath test and appeared in the dock before District Judge Angela Brereton at Yeovil where he pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said the police were informed of a collision on Main Street, Barton-St-David at 10pm where the defendant crashed his car into a fence.

“A witness said the driver had walked off leaving the vehicle and when the police found a male matching the witness’s description,” she said.

“He said he was dropping his dog off and was returning to his car and made comments about having a crash.”

He said he had been drinking wine and then went to the shop to buy some whisky but had drunk one and a half glasses of wine when he returned home after the crash.

When he was breathalysed he produced a reading of 73mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 35mcg of alcohol.

Defending solicitor Greg Peters said that Porter did consume some more wine after the accident but accepted that he still would have been over the drink drive limit at the time of the offence.

He said: “This has had a very profound effect on my client and has led to him losing his job as he was unable to commute, however he has now secured fresh employment.

“He did something so stupid and out of character, but he has no explanation for it.

“He did not have a drink problem but is aware of what can happen if you drink too much, and he has not drunk any alcohol since this matter.”

The court heard that Porter contacted the owner of the fence and paid him £350 for the damage that was caused.

The district judge disqualified him from driving for 18 months and fined him £500 with £85 costs and a £50 victim surcharge.