A DRINK driver three times over the limit ploughed through a wall and damaged parked cars before knocking on a resident’s door and waiting for the police to arrive.

Antony James Andrews, 27, crashed his Mazda 6 while trying to get home following a night out in Witham.

Andrews, of Birchwood Close, Tiptree, careered off the road and through a brick wall shortly after exiting the A12 at Rivenhall.

Philip Pearson, prosecuting, told Colchester magistrates yesterday: “Having exited the A12 going towards Oak Road, he lost control at a junction and hit a brick wall at a property at around 2.40am.

“Having collided with the brick wall he caused further damage to vehicles behind the wall.

“He knocked on the door of the residence and was taken in to the property as he was shaken up by the incident. He gave a positive roadside test.

“He was not charged for the damage to the wall as it was resolved through insurance.”

The crash took place in Oak Road on May 20. A breath test found he had 110mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Peter Young, mitigating, said Andrews was a self-proclaimed family man, who had never appeared in court before.

He described the defendant’s behaviour as out of character and said he had not initially intended to get behind the wheel.

Mr Young said: “He works as a chef in Witham.

“It was a Friday night or early Saturday morning and he had been working a late shift.

“He was going to go home but there were no taxis available, at that time they were quite busy.

“He went for a drink or two with a friend and decided stupidly ‘Well, the car is here, so I’ll drive home.’ “He was not intending to do that earlier in the evening.

“Mr Andrews is someone who hasn’t been in trouble at court before.

“He has told me he is really a family man, he lives with his partner and four-year-old daughter.

“His job is not a driving job but in view of the hours he works he will find it extremely difficult without a car.

“He may or may not keep his job.”

Magistrates sentenced Andrews to 100 hours of unpaid work and disqualified him from driving for 25 months.

He was ordered to pay £170 in court costs.