A DRIVER who crashed into three parked cars while holding onto a plate of chilli and chips has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Worcester Magistrates Court was told Kevin Cottrell fled the scene after crashing a van belonging to his employer, Worcester Community Housing, which he was driving without permission on Sunday, November 15, 2009.

He handed himself in to police the next day where tests showed a small amount of alcohol in his system.

However, district judge Bruce Morgan also disqualified Cottrell from driving after ridiculing his claim he had only drunk one can of lager.

Liam Finch, prosecuting, said Cottrell, of Glenthorne Avenue, Brickfields, Worcester, was authorised to drive the van during the week but not on Sundays.

Mr Finch said Cottrell told police he was installing a shower for his ex-girlfriend and had plated up the meal for her which was on the passenger seat.

He said: “He told police he looked over to the plate and grabbed it to stop it sliding and took his eyes off the road for a split second. He said he was travelling about 30mph and had consumed one can of lager.”

His breath test, taken at the police station the following morning, was 3mcg, well under the legal limit for driving which is 35mcg.

The van was written off in the crash in Lansdowne Road at a cost of £7,950.

A silver Saab was also written off costing £2,500 while a red Seat Leon received extensive damage to the nearside front wing and a red Citroen AX suffered £500 damage to a rear wing mirror.

Cottrell, aged 36, admitted aggravated vehicle taking as well as failing to stop after an accident.

Mark Lister, defending, said Cottrell had panicked because he was not supposed to be driving the van that day but handed himself in at about 2.50am the next morning. Mr Lister said a witness told police they could not smell alcohol on Cottrell.

He also said Cottrell’s home was the subject of re-possession proceedings, he had lost his job following the crash and his girlfriend was pregnant.

Sentencing him, Mr Morgan said: “There’s no doubt in my mind that somehow or other drink played a part in this accident.

“To have one can of lager and still have a reading of three some seven hours later isn’t realistic.”

He sentenced Cottrell to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

He was also disqualifed from driving for 12 months, to run concurrently, for the failing to stop offence. Cott-rell was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and will be supervised by the probation service for 12 months. He must pay £350 costs.