A MAN who drank eight cans of lager and had a row with his wife then took her Audi TT and crashed it into a neighbour's car, a court has heard.
Christopher Mark Langton was later found asleep on the floor of his house by police, a court has heard.
Officers couldn't rouse the 36-year-old so had to climb into his property through a window to wake him up.
Swansea Magistrates Court was told he gave a positive breathalyser test and was taken to a police station — but was unable to take an evidential test.
Langton, of Highland Terrace, Pontarddulais, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, failing to stop after an accident and failing to provide a specimen when he appeared before justices.
Sharon Anderson, prosecuting, said police first became involved when they were called about a possible drink-driver who had just bought alcohol at the Cross petrol station in Penllergaer shortly after midnight on September 13.
When they went to the address of the registered owner of the car involved — an Audi TT — they found the vehicle parked on Highland Terrace with its bonnet in some bushes, its tyres still warm, and a smell of burning brakes in the air. However, there appeared to be nobody at home.
A short time later they received a further call from a householder on the same street reporting damage to a parked car that had happened that night.
When police went to investigate they found debris at the scene from another vehicle — including the front grille of an Audi TT.
The prosecutor said officers then returned to address of the registered owner and found damage to the front of the Audi — and inside the vehicle could see a flip-flop wedged between the pedals.
Turning their attention to the house they looked through a window and saw a shoeless and sockless man asleep on the floor — they climbed through an open window and woke him up.
He was taken to the police station but despite four attempts was unable to provide a suitable sample of breath for the analyser machine.
In his police interview Langton said he had drunk eight cans of Kronenbourg lager during the course of the afternoon and evening, and had then taken his wife's Audi to drive to the garage to buy more alcohol.
Steve Harrett, for Langton, described the events of the night in question as an "aberration" and a "regrettable scenario" that would haunt his client for a long time to come.
He added that his client's failure to provide a specimen had not been a deliberate refusal, and that he had since paid for the damage to his neighbour's car.
For failing to provide a sample Langton was fined £500 and disqualified from driving for 36 months. For driving without due care and attention and failing to report an accident he was fined a total of £200 .Langton must also pay £85 costs and a £50 victim surcharge.
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/man-crashed-wife-s-audi-tt-after-drinking-eight-cans-of-lager/story-29780571-detail/story.html#qSLp6tavWJaR5tKF.99
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