A man who crashed his lorry through a fence, hitting two cars, was more than twice the drink-drive limit, a court heard.

Anthony Hoyte, 28, of Fallowfield Close, Dovercourt, was banned from driving for two years and given 60-hours community punishment order, when he admitted to a drink-driving charge at Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court heard Hoyte was driving a three-and-a-half tonne heavy goods vehicle after drinking in Colchester on December 15, at 9.30pm, when he lost control.

He was also driving his wife as a passenger when the accident happened in Ramsey Road, Dovercourt.

Sharon Moore, prosecuting, said he hit a stationary Ford Fiesta car before leaving the road, where he crashed through a fence and into a Ford Focus car in a neighbouring driveway. Both cars were badly damaged.

She said: "His wife suffered chest pains and whiplash injuries."

Police tests showed Hoyte had 89 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath. The legal limit is 35.

She told the court this was more than twice the legal drive limit.

In mitigation, Mr Hoyte said: "I had drunk two pints of Stella and unfortunately, I didn't realise that could do so much to me."

The chairman of the bench said it was a "very serious offence" so in addition to the two-year driving ban they felt he should also have a 60-hour community punishment order.

Published Friday January 9, 2004

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