A FORMER Met Police officer crashed into a bus while more than two times over the legal drink-drive limit.

Randip Ghattaora, 33, was riding his Yamaha motorbike in West Way, in Colchester, when he crashed into a bus shortly before 3pm.

He was rendered unconscious after the smash and was taken to Colchester General Hospital for emergency treatment.

When he came round hours later, he gave his permission for a blood sample to be taken.

Police then carried out a back calculation, which showed an average of 194mg of alcohol in 100ml or blood. The legal limit is 80mg.

Philip Pearson, prosecuting, said: “Two witnesses in the bus said he was riding at speed and impacted the side of the bus.

“They said he was driving without due care.

“He appeared to be unconscious as a result of the impact, so he was taken to hospital.

“Five-and-a-half hours after the collision, a blood sample was consented to.

“Because of the period of time since the incident, police carried out a back calculation which found an average of 195mg per 100ml of blood, which is over twice the legal limit.”

He added: “Mr Ghattaora told police he had no memory of the collision or the aftercare at the hospital and told police he had drank some cider the day before but he did not believe he had consumed alcohol on the day of the incident.”

Recovering alcoholic Ghattaora, from Southall, Middlesex - who had been dismissed from the Met due to separate issues - admitted driving without due care and attention and drink driving on January 23 when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The court heard Ghattaora’s alcoholism had cost him his family as well as a new partner and he was now seeking to re-build his life.

He asked for leniency in paying his debt because he “has 7p in his bank account”.

For the drink-driving offence, he was disqualified from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay a fine of £150.

There was no separate penalty for the driving offence.