By Hayley Robinson

A driver who crashed his car into a bollard then fled the scene was found to be more than twice the legal limit when police caught up with him at his home.

Sittingbourne Magistrates heard how Steven Goswell had called into The Wheatsheaf pub in Newington, on October 1, to meet up with work colleagues for a drink, but ended up staying longer than he intended and had several beers.

He made two calls to a taxi firm without success and even called his mother to pick him up but she was out. It was then he decided to get in his Peugeot Partner van and drive back to his house in St Lawrence Close, Bapchild.

He was almost home when he crashed into a bollard outside Bapchild Fruit Stall.

A member of the public called the police after they saw Goswell get out of the vehicle and stagger off towards School Lane.

Police traced the vehicle to Goswell. When they arrived at his home he leaned out of an upstairs window and told them he knew why they were there.

After being breathalysed at the police station he was found to have 100 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Goswell, 34, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared in court on Monday.

Chairman of the bench Jonathan Penn said the reading was frighteningly high.

Goswell was disqualified from driving for 42 months, given a 12-month community order with 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £85 costs.

He agreed to take a drink-drive rehabilitation course.