A drink-driver who crashed into a parked car and shunted it through a wall has been banned from driving for three years.

Edward Mark Phillips, of The Promenade, Port Erin, crashed his van on Main Road in Colby and failed a breathalyser test with a reading of 84 - the limit is 35.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also sentenced him to 100 hours of community service and ordered him to retake his test at the end of the ban.

Prosecuting advocate James Robinson told the court how 48-year-old Phillips was driving a Renault Kangoo in Colby, heading towards Port Erin, on November 19 at 4.55am. He hit a parked vehicle causing it to plough through the wall of a property. His own vehicle ended up blocking the road. When police arrived he said: ’I know I’m over the limit. I’ve had loads of alcohol. I’m in a bad place at the minute.’

At police headquarters he blew the reading of 84 and when interviewed Phillips told police he had drunk eight cans of Tetley Bitter between 9.15pm and midnight at a friend’s house in Ballasalla.

He said he had been sleeping at a friend’s house but had woken up and decided to drive home. Phillips believed he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

The court heard that he has only one previous conviction in 2007 for which he received a conditional discharge.

A probation report said that Phillips was a gas fitter at the time of the offence but was working his notice when the offence occurred as he intended to become self-employed. Phillips told probation that the decision to drive had been a ’complete disaster’ for him. He said that he suffered from anxiety and depression.

Phillips said he believed that the damage to the other vehicle and wall was covered by his employer’s insurance company but he wanted to visit the property owner to apologise in person.

The report said that he was in dire financial circumstances so community service would be more suitable than a fine. Defence advocate James Peterson added that his client would no longer be able to work as a gas fitter because of the inevitable driving ban.

’This was a stupid mistake which is going to have massive ramifications for him and his family,’ said the advocate.

He was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs at a rate of £5 per week.