A drink driver has been left to foot a £22,000 repair bill after smashing his car into a wall after a round of golf.
Paul Jameson was driving on Church Walk, in Morpeth, on July 8, when he hit a wall build from specialist materials.
South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court heard the car "bounced" off the pricey wall - a short distance from Jameson's home in nearby Castle Close.
The 60-year-old bakery delivery driver narrowly avoided jail after admitting drink-driving.
"I understand the garden walls have been significantly damaged."
"The vehicle was on the wrong side of the road and had a large amount of damage to it."
Police arrived to find him slurring his words, and a roadside breath test revealed he had 130 microgrammes of alcohol, in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35ml.
The court was told Jameson was returning from the course where he'd drove too.
Paul Dunn, defending, said: "He was not expecting to drive (back)," claimed solicitor.
"He'd taken the car but was going to leave the car - for some inexplicable reason he got behind the wheel.
"He can't say why."
He added: "He had not realised quite the extent alcohol had taken over his life.
"This is a massive step for anyone who has a drink problem."
References were supplied to the bench, including one from his employer which said Jameson's conviction - his first - would cost him his current job.
However, he is "so well thought of" they'd found him a new role within the firm.
Magistrates handed him a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for a year and banned him from driving for 32 months.
