AN alcoholic felt he was fit to drive after downing more than 10 pints of lager and a quantity of vodka, a Suffolk court has heard.Paul Hayden was more that three times over the drink-drive limit when he drove into the back of another car, magistrates in Ipswich heard.

AN alcoholic felt he was fit to drive after downing more than 10 pints of lager and a quantity of vodka, a Suffolk court has heard.

Paul Hayden was more that three times over the drink-drive limit when he drove into the back of another car, magistrates in Ipswich heard.

Hayden, 47, of Morland Road in Ipswich, admitted that he drank more than 10 pints of lager and a lot of vodka before driving on February 7 this year.

His solicitor Roger Stewart said: "He is very remorseful about this matter and realises he is in jeopardy of being sent to prison.

"He suffers from depression and has had the drink problem for some time."

Mr Stewart said Hayden felt in a fit state to drive himself and his wife home but went into the back of a car after it had already been involved in an accident.

Mr Stewart said: "He is a heavy drinker so this amount (of alcohol) doesn't surprise him or his wife who is very supportive.

"He felt capable to drive so was doing so along Woodbridge Road when he went into the back of a vehicle that had a crash."

Stephen Colman, prosecuting, argued Hayden did not arrive on the scene afterwards but was actually involved in the initial crash.

He said: "It was suggested that it was a parked car that was hit rather than him going into the back of a vehicle that had already been in an accident."

A test proved Hayden was over the alcohol limit when it recorded 360 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milligrams of urine. The legal limit is 107 milligrams.

After pleading guilty to charges of drink driving at the case yesterday, Hayden was disqualified from driving for three years, given 180 hours of community punishment to be carried out over the next 12 months and made to pay £43 court costs.