A GWENT man "panicked" and carried on driving after crashing his car while over the limit, a court heard.

Karl Hutnit, aged 23, took the wheel of his Ford Mondeo following a row with his girlfriend, magistrates at Chesterfield, Derbyshire, were told.

He lost control of the car in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, after midnight, and it received extensive front-end damage.

When police arrived at the scene they found debris including the vehicle's front bumper and number-plate, Andrea Charity, prosecuting, told magistrates.

An officer at a nearby service station on the M1 motorway in Derbyshire then saw the parked Mondeo and Hutnit told them what had happened.

She said Hutnit was arrested and gave a reading of 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - more than double the 35mg limit.

Hutnit, a factory worker, of Anuerin Avenue, Crumlin, admitted drink-driving, careless driving and failing to stop after an accident on April 2.

He was banned from driving for 20 months and ordered to carry out 120 hours' community service, with £55 costs. He had no previous convictions. His ban will be reduced to 15 months if he successfully completes a rehabilitation course for drink-drivers.

"He had no intention of driving that night, but there had been a heated row with his girlfriend in Sutton-in-Ashfield and he took the decision to go back to South Wales," said Jonathan Taaffe, defending.

"He didn't really think about the fact that they had been drinking in the house together. There was an accident and he tells me he was in a blind panic.

"He drove to the M1 and, to his credit, he then stopped and phoned his family, who contacted the police."

Mr Taaffe added: "He knows he should have stayed at the scene of the accident but he was very upset."