A MAN has admitted drink driving and crashing through a fence, coming to a halt in the garden of a Fladbury property.

Tomas Bateman, who appeared via videolink from the Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty to drink driving and failing to stop after an accident when the case was dealt with at Worcester Magistrates Court.

Prosecuting Nichola Ritchie said police arrested Bateman after being called to the property in Station Road, at 11.30pm on July 4 last year. Miss Ritchie explained that the homeowner had called police after a Jaguar X Type crashed through his hedge, and hit ornaments and lights in his back garden.

After going outside the homeowner spoke to someone, who he assumed was the driver, who said he was sorry and wanted to know how he could get out of the garden.

Miss Ritchie said the homeowner then told him he would have to call police, at which point the man fled the scene.

On arrival, officers found a man nearby, who the homeowner confirmed was Bateman, the man he had spoken to and who ran off. After failing a breathalyser test the 28-year-old was taken to the station giving a reading of 75mcg of alcohol in 100ml in breath - the legal limit being 35mcg.

Miss Ritchie added that in interview, Bateman attempted to say he wasn’t the driver, with someone else crashing the car.

Bateman, defending himself, said he was given bad advice by solicitors, who told him to say it was someone else in an attempt to get him off on a technicality.

“I am very, very sorry,” he said.

“Clearly the evidence is there. I blame myself.”

Bateman said since last July he had moved out of Evesham, moving back in with his parents in Southbourne, The Square, on the Isle of Wight. Bateman said he had lost his job, and what happened had been really scary, describing the whole incident as a wake up call.

He added: “I want to change and get on with my life.”

Magistrates fined Bateman £160 for drink driving, and £160 for failing to stop, and told him to pay costs of £135 and £30 victim surcharge - a total of £485, to be deducted from his benefits.

Bateman was disqualified from driving for 17 months, being reduced by 17 weeks if he successful completes a drink drive awareness course.

The case was heard on January 31.

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