A MAN who crashed his car while more than three times the legal limit had ignored pleas from his partner not to drive.

Worcester Magistrates Court was told how Graeme Glendin-ning’s partner begged him not to get into his car on the morning of Monday, April 19.

Lisa Mayne, prosecuting, said his partner had come downstairs early to find Glendinning, of Alton Park, Callow End, near Worcester, slumped in a chair in the front room next to two empty bottles of Southern Comfort.

It was some time later she became aware of Glendinning attempting to leave in his car – at which stage she went outside and pleaded with him not to leave.

But 54-year-old Glendinning ignored her and was soon spotted by a neighbour, who saw him mount the kerb and narrowly avoid hitting some rubbish bins before colliding with a parked car. But Glendinning did not stop.

Instead, he headed through the village and out onto the B4424 – where he was finally stopped because he crashed into a road sign.

The ambulance was called and Glendinning was taken to hospital, but paramedics became aware he had been drinking and called the police. Glendinning had 112 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when police breathalysed him – making him more than three times over the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

In interview, he confirmed he had drunk the two 750ml bottles of whisky over about four or five hours in the morning before he got in the car.

Glendinning pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to report an accident.

Gary Harper, defending, said: “This was a man of good character with no criminal record until a few minutes ago when he pleaded guilty. He was a man who had never troubled the court in the 50 years before this.

“He does not dispute the facts and, as a result of being arrested and taken to hospital, he is now a voluntary inpatient at Newtown Hospital.”

Chairman of the bench Lynne Brown said: “This was a very dangerous situation. The least that happened was that you were injured and that was enough.”

Glendinning was fined £650 for being over the limit, £500 for not reporting the accident, ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs, as well as being disqualified from driving for 28 months.