Sunderland drink-driver crashed into £75,000 Audi 'after being offered a crisp'

A drink-driver smashed into a £75,000 parked Audi when he tried to snack on a crisp offered by his child passenger, a court heard.

Bungling Marc Baker, 40, became distracted and lost control of his Mercedes - and admitted the unsavoury truth when confronted by his victim in Beaumont Street, Southwick.

Baker, of Earlston Street, Carley Hill, crashed at 9.15pm on Saturday, June 3, just minutes after children had been playing in the road, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.

He is now starting a 22-month roads’ ban for his second same offence in 20 years, magistrates in South Tyneside were told.

His solicitor said Baker had also lost his job as a travelling supervisor with a recycling firm due to not being able to drive.

Mrs Beck said: “There’s a statement from a witness who confirms his Audi was parked outside his address.

“He heard a loud bang and looked outside to see a Mercedes was reversing after colliding with his vehicle. It then parked up.

“The Mercedes driver had a small child in the passenger seat. The witness went outside and saw damage to his vehicle.

“The driver came across to look. He was stumbling. He said that he had a couple of cans and had popped down to the shop.

“He said that he would lose his job. He said, ‘Sorry, mate, the bairn was trying to give me a crisp, I leant over to get it’.

“He also said, ‘Can we both just drive away, and I’ll sort it out with drink’. The witness said ‘no’.

“He also walked back to his vehicle as if to get inside. The police arrived.”

Mrs Beck revealed the witness had told police children had earlier been playing outside 30 minutes earlier.

Baker pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess alcohol.

He gave a breath test reading of 64mcg of alcohol. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Amy Rochester, defending, said: “You’ve heard there was some talk with the gentleman about ‘can we leave this’, but that was sheer panic.

“He stayed at the scene and gave police no cause for concern. He tells me he hadn’t had much to drink that day, but had quite a bit the night before.”

Baker was also fined £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.