A DRUNK driver crashed into a parked car and ended up in a hedge narrowly missing a house, a court heard.

James Hanna smashed his Rover 75 into a Nissan Micra in Northwood Lane, Bewdley, so hard he pushed it along the street. But, following the crash, and despite crashing his own vehicle into a hedge after hitting the parked car, just missing a house, he told police he "just clipped it".

Leslie Ashton, prosecutor, said police tested the 31-year-old for alcohol at the side of the road, and he tested positive.

She said: "The offence came to light following a road traffic collision at about 11:10pm.

"He [Hanna] was driving his vehicle. He collided with a Nissan vehicle which was parked on the right hand side of the lane outside the owners property. The force was such that the it was pushed along the lane. His vehicle became embedded in a hedge, narrowly missing the house.

"Witnesses at the scene heard the collision and cam out to speak to him, and he said he had been driving."

She added that the Micra sustained a lot of damage and that there was debris left in the road.

When police arrived, officers noticed Hanna had slurred speech and they did a roadside breath test which gave a positive reading.

Hanna was arrested and taken to the police station.

"When the circumstances of the arrest were relayed to the custody sergeant, when the officer said he [Hanna] had hit the Micra he said he didn't hit it, he clipped it," Ms Ashton added.

Further breath tests were provided at the station, where a reading of 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath was given, more than three times the legal limit of 35 mcg.

In mitigation, Hanna, who represented himself in court, said his decision to drive that night was wrong.

He said: "I have been very forthright and honest in this process. I wish to tell the court this was a poor decision and one that was not my best, probably because I was out of work.

"My poor choice has resonated thoroughly. I have apologised to those concerned."

He added that he believed the conditions of the road contributed to the crash as there had recently been a storm, leaving leaves on the road being driven on and detailed that he had been driving less than 40 mph in a 60 mph zone.

Hanna, of Heathfield Crescent, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to drink driving when he appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, December 10.

Chairman of the magistrates Brent Robinson sentenced him to a 12-month community ordered with a requirement to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work. Hanna was also banned from driving for 24 months, with the option to take the drink drive rehabilitation course, which would reduce his disqualification by 25 per cent, and ordered to pay £105 in prosecution costs, £150 in charges, and a £60 victim surcharge.