A Henbury builder “made something of a mess” of a minibus after he drunkenly crashed his car into it.
Stephen McNeil ploughed his Honda Jazz into the stationary vehicle on Long Cross, Lawrence Weston, after a night in the pub on December 28.
The 52-year-old, of Crow Lane, had 133mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood – more than double the 52mg limit.
Prosecutor Jeremy Oliver told Bristol Magistrates’ Court on March 10: “He had a collision with a stationary vehicle, a minibus, and made something of a mess of both vehicles.
“Witnesses heard and went to the scene. They saw the defendant in the driver’s seat.”
Police attended and believed McNeil to be intoxicated. He was taken to hospital for treatment on an injury he sustained in the crash, then gave the positive blood test.
Mr Oliver added: “The car is his partner’s. He admitted to police he had driven it to the pub that night.
“He said he had thought he was insured to drive it, but accepted he was not.”
Farah Rashid, mitigating, said: “He had been with his partner for 25 years, which came to an extremely messy end around the time of the offence.
“He fully accepts he went out and drank alcohol. He didn’t realise he had drunk to the excess he had.
“He looked down at his watch and before he knew it, he had driven into a stationary vehicle.”
The self-employed labourer, who makes £500 a week, admitted drink-driving and driving without insurance.
Presiding Justice Dr Giles Brown ordered him to pay £635, which breaks down to a £500 fine, £85 in prosecution costs and a £50 victim surcharge.
He banned McNeil from driving for 15 months.
Dr Brown told him: “While we appreciate you were experiencing some relationship difficulties at that time, you were drink-driving and indeed this resulted in quite a significant accident which could have been a lot worse.”
