A MOTORIST who crashed into a lamppost while drink driving is today banned from getting behind the wheel for a year.Mark Rudderham, 44, of Norwich Road, Little Stonham, needed six stitches in his ear and a tetanus injection after he lost control of his silver Mercedes and hit the lamppost.

A MOTORIST who crashed into a lamppost while drink driving is today banned from getting behind the wheel for a year.

Mark Rudderham, 44, of Norwich Road, Little Stonham, needed six stitches in his ear and a tetanus injection after he lost control of his silver Mercedes and hit the lamppost.

The accident happened at about 9.30pm on December 10 in Trinity Avenue, Felixstowe, near to the A14.

Rudderham was taken to Ipswich Hospital and later failed a breath test, which showed him to have 51 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Rudderham, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink driving charge at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Rudderham said: “I didn't think at the time that after drinking at lunchtime I would be over the limit and I can honestly say it will never happen again, this is my first offence and it will be my last.”

He was ordered to pay £425 in fines and court costs and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He also agreed to participate in a drink driving rehabilitation course which will reduce his ban to nine months.

Bunty Hunt, chairman of the magistrates, said: “When coming to our decision today we have taken into account your early guilty plea and your co-operation and the fact that you have no previous convictions.”