Hungry Sunderland drink-driver admits ‘being an idiot’ after crashing while driving to garage for food

John Wright, 34, slammed his wife’s Vauxhall Astra into a parked vehicle just yards from their home in Premier Road, Plains Farm.

He momentarily left the scene at 2am on Sunday, April 23, but only to sheepishly tell his spouse of his booze-fuelled blunder, a court heard.

When he returned and was breathalysed, he gave a sky-high reading of 110mcg of alcohol in breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

Wright is starting a 25-month roads’ ban and must pay fines and court costs of almost £900 after pleading guilty to drink driving.

Prosecutor Stephanie Cook told magistrates in South Tyneside: “Police attended due to a report that a vehicle had crashed into a parked car.

“The victim had contacted police after being woken by a loud noise outside his address and finding an Astra next to his Hyundai.

“The defendant was standing next to his vehicle but left on foot but later returned. He was identified by the witness.

“He said he had been an idiot, and then police arrived. When interviewed he said that he had been driving a white Astra and had been drinking.

“He told police he had driven because he was going to a garage to get something to eat. He has no previous convictions.

“The crown would say the offence is aggravated by the fact the defendant was involved in an accident.”

Gerry Armstrong, defending, said: “He’s a man who is in full-time employment and is married. His wife is in court.

“Earlier that night he had been at an address and left the car there deliberately because he had a drink.

“He got a taxi home but in the early hours, when he made this mistake, he got into his wife’s car and drove a very short distance up the road.

“Why he could not have just walked or gone to the fridge. When he left the scene, he wasn’t trying to avoid detection, he had gone to tell his wife.”

Mr Armstrong added Wright and his family intended to move to Cheshire for a new start in the coming weeks.

Magistrates also fined Wright £576, with a £230 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.