A DRINK-DRIVER who crashed into a parked car while more than three times the limit was “steaming”.

Gareth Davies had been drinking lager and shots in a pub before deciding to get behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Insignia on April Fools’ Day.

Newport Magistrates’ Court heard how the 39-year-old drove instead of walking home or getting a taxi.

Davies was confronted by a woman on Hospital Road, Penpedairheol, Caerphilly after he’d smashed into her car at around 12.35am on Saturday, April 1.

The defendant was “slurring his words and repeating himself” when he was talking to her and a man at the scene said “he’s steaming”.

The police were called and arrested Davies who was taken into custody at Ystrad Mynach.

Harry Dickens, prosecuting, said: “The defendant admitted he had consumed alcohol and was at fault.

“He handed his car keys over to the police and told them, ‘I know I’ve messed up.’

“The defendant later said he had drank too much and couldn’t remember anything.”

Davies, of Rhos Avenue, Penpedairheol pleaded guilty to drink-driving with 117 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The defendant has two previous convictions for drink-driving dating back to 2004 and 2006.

Andrew Twomlow representing Davies said his client had pleaded guilty at the very first opportunity.

The court heard the defendant is a forklift driver and would be able to carry on working as he uses it on private land and his employer had told him he wouldn’t lose his job.

Davies is working to cut down on his drinking with the Gwent Drug & Alcohol Service.

Presiding magistrates Christine Farrington told the defendant: “This was a high reading and any higher would have been in the realm of a custodial sentence.”

Davies was sentenced to a 12-month community order and must complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was banned from driving for 28 months, fined £357 and has to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 costs.