A DRIVER who crashed his car while double the legal alcohol limit has been banned from the roads.

Liam Campbell, 30, appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court after crashing in The Walls, Mistley, in January.

Campbell, of Main Road, Harwich, was taken to hospital following the incident, where a blood sample revealed he had 167 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood.

Tess Mann, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was soon identified as the driver.

“As his speech was slurred and he smelled of alcohol, the police were contacted.

“He had sustained injuries and was taken to Colchester General Hospital, where the blood test was conducted.”

Addressing magistrates, Campbell said: “My parents were over from Ireland and I had a heavy night the night before.

“It was the wrong choice getting in the car the next day, but it wasn’t a case of coming out the pub and getting in the car.

“The impact is heavy, I am going to have to pay someone to drive me around and I have a kid on the way - it will be difficult.”

Campbell was disqualified from driving for 20 months on Wednesday with the option to reduce the ban by 20 weeks upon the completion of a driving awareness course.

He was also ordered to pay £745 in court costs.