A drink-driver was more than twice the limit when he collided with parked cars, shunting one into an Ipswich garden wall demolishing it, a court heard.

Mateusz Kowalczyk, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, was seen slumped over the steering wheel shortly before the crash in Sidegate Lane.

The 30-year-old apologised for what he had done after pleading guilty at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court to drink-driving.

A breath test showed he had 79 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the time of the accident. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

Prosecutor Adele Cook said another motorist was driving along Colchester Road towards the town centre when he became aware of a BMW behind him.

The vehicle was speeding up and slowing down. At one point it nearly hit a kerb.

Kowalczyk - who was driving the car - was slumped over, according the witness.

The motorist pulled over to get the registration number of the BMW and then continued to followed it.

The vehicle collided with two parked cars in Sidegate Lane. One of the cars was shunted on to the pavement and into a garden wall which it knocked over.

Police attended the scene and carried out a roadside breath test on Kowalczyk, which gave a positive reading.

Kowalczyk admitted the offence to the officer and said he was sorry for his actions, the court was told.

Through a Polish interpreter, Kowalczyk – who represented himself, said: “I would like to apologise. It was the first and last time (I will drive while drunk).”

He was disqualified from driving for 18 months and fined £260.

In addition Kowalczyk must pay £85 costs and £30 to the victims’ fund.

In a separate hearing Patricia Reader, of Maldon Court, Great Cornard, also admitted drink-driving in Ipswich.

The 33-year-old was caught in Fircroft Road on April 30.

A breath test showed she had 58mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

The court was told officers had gone to Fircroft Road after reports of an incident.

Police saw Reader’s Peugeot near the address involved as it was pulling away.

The car was stopped. Reader denied she had been involved in the incident.

However, the officer could smell alcohol on her breath and carried out a roadside breath test which proved positive.

Reader, representing herself, said: “I’m really sorry, ashamed and embarrassed.”

She was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Reader was also fined £300 and ordered to pay costs of £85. In addition she must also pay £30 to the victims’ fund.