A BUILDER who crashed his van and then disappeared from the scene has been fined.

John Edwards, 47, of Ferlia Barn, Upper Down Farm, Cleobury Mortimer, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention during a hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court on Friday, December 4.

The incident – which left his Vauxhall Vivaro on its side and splattered with blood – took place in Robin’s End, Tenbury, on Friday, November 13.

He was later found intoxicated at a nearby address – but said he had only started drinking after the accident to cope with the shock.

Jackie Rogers, prosecuting, said: “A member of the public noticed a vehicle which had crashed near her home on a country lane and she contacted the police.

“Officers attended and attempted to locate the driver.

“There was damage to the car and blood near to the vehicle.

“Police were able to contact the registered keeper, who suggested the driver might be at a friend’s house nearby.

“Two and a half hours after they came across the vehicle, they found the defendant.

“They saw he was intoxicated and he accepted that he was the driver and that he had crashed.

“But he said he had only been drinking after the accident.”

She added that Edwards had driven the vehicle into a bank and it ended up on its side in the road.

He panicked, did not know what to do and decided to walk with his friend to the house.

Back at the property he drank heavily to “get over the stress”, added Mrs Rogers, but he admitted he should have reported the matter to police.

Edwards, who defended himself in court, said: “It was stupidity really on my part.

“I was talking to my friend and the next thing I knew I was up the bank and toppled the van.

“Then I panicked and had some beers.

“As I work on a building site I absolutely can’t manage without my van.”

Magistrate Marilyn Stephens, chairman of the bench, said: “The consequences of this accident could have been devastating.”

She issued Edwards with six penalty points and ordered him to pay a £385 fine, £135 court costs, £150 court charges and a £39 victim surcharge.