A drink-driver crashed into a garage in Selby where he caused £3,000 of damage by smashing into an oil container, a metal fence and a vehicle parked in the yard.
Richard Garnham, 44, was so drunk he “blacked out” and didn’t even realise he had been driving, York magistrates heard.
Prosecutor Melanie Ibbotson said police initially received a report of a car crashing into a wall.
Garnham tried to blame another man for driving the car, but CCTV footage showed him driving out of the yard in Millgate and his DNA was all over the air bag.
Following his arrest, Garnham was taken to a local police station where a drink-drive test revealed he was way over twice the legal alcohol limit.
“Officers made further enquiries and it transpired that there was CCTV footage showing the vehicle crashing into the garage yard and colliding with an oil container, before smashing through a metal fence and damaging a second vehicle,” said Ms Ibbotson.
Garnham told police he had “no real recollection of the events that evening”.
“He said he had been drinking since the morning but wasn’t sure how much he had drunk,” added Ms Ibbotson.
“He said he and his neighbour went to a pub in Selby and then had gone on to play pool. He doesn’t really recall what happened after this.
“He confirmed it was his car but couldn’t recall whether he was driving, saying he had not driven the car for years.”
Blacked out
Garnham, of Brook Street, Selby, was charged with drink-driving and driving without insurance and a licence. He admitted all three offences when he appeared in court today.
Ms Ibbotson said Garnham had previous convictions for drink-driving and other motoring offences including driving while disqualified.
Craig Robertson, for Garnham, said the father-of-three appeared to have blacked out around the time of the crash on 4 March.
He said Garnham had long-standing mental-health issues and was getting help for his drink problem.
Mr P Clarkson, chairman of the magistrates’ bench, noted the “extremely high” level of alcohol in Garnham’s system and said his offences were aggravated by his previous convictions.
He said that for those reasons Garnham would be banned from driving for three years and 10 months. Garnham was also given a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation-activity days. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge.