A DRUNK brain surgeon was six times the limit when he crashed his car and was found slumped at the wheel, surrounded by empty alcohol bottles.

Ajay Gupta crashed his Audi Q3 into a stationary car in Worcester and the breath test reading was so high he had to be rushed to the city's hospital.

Before the crash the doctor 'hit the bottle' when his mother, who was visiting, criticised him for not attending his dad's funeral in India.

The 61-year-old admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday following the crash near his home in Vimiera Close, Norton, Worcester on July 28 this year. The evidential alcohol reading was 142mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath - more than four times the legal limit of 35mcg.

However, the non-evidential roadside reading was even higher at 218mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than six times the limit.

The court heard that it was not immediately possible to take an evidential sample because he was so drunk and had to be taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital. He also had a previous conviction for drink driving from 2015 and had already completed a drink impaired driver's awareness course designed to rehabilitate motorists and educate them about the dangers of drink driving.

Nicola Ritchie, prosecuting, said Gupta was involved in a crash with a parked vehicle at around 3.25pm when witnesses heard 'a loud bang'.

Miss Ritchie said: "Witnesses said that, when approaching the vehicle, they had seen Mr Gupta slumped on the driver's side."

Nobody else was in the parked car he struck and no injuries were caused. Police arrived.

Miss Ritchie said: "Scattered around the vehicle were various empty alcohol bottles. They say Mr Gupta was unable to lift his head upright or communicate effectively."

Gupta was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital because of medical concerns following the high roadside breath reading.

"Whilst in hospital he has not been the most compliant with officers" said Miss Ritchie.

Officers were not able to obtain a sample of blood for an alcohol reading but they were eventually able to secure a reading via the intoxilyzer of 142mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Gupta was disqualified from driving for 24 months for driving with excess alcohol in 2015.

Richard Hull, defending, said: "Mr Gupta is deeply ashamed of his behaviour."

Mr Hull said his client had 'a problem with alcohol'.

"What he tells me is that he binge drinks when circumstances present themselves where, emotionally, he cannot cope" said Mr Hull.

Mr Hull said the catalyst had been the death of his father in India.

"He was struggling to cope with that and didn't attend the funeral" said Mr Hull.

The defendant's mother visited in July this year who raised this issue.

"There was quite a significant argument and a lot of stress upon him and he turned to the bottle" said Mr Hull.

The solicitor described how Gupta, a father-of-two, had worked as a brain surgeon in India but was now a brain rehabilitation doctor at a hospital in Leamington Spa, commuting there from his home in Worcester.

The NHS trust is aware of the offence and has provided him with access to a clinical psychologist. The defendant is also in touch with Swanswell which provides rehabilitation for drink or drug users.

Gupta attends Change Grow Live which Mr Hull described as 'the equivalent of Alcoholics Anonymous'. Anticipating the driving ban, Gupta has now rented a property in Leamington and intends to travel home to Worcester at weekends.

Magistrates retired to consider their verdict 'given the seriousness of this matter'.

When they returned the chairman of the bench said: "It's very lucky we're not sitting here facing far worse consequences for your actions. It's very lucky you hit a stationary vehicle with no-one in it rather than actually injuring or even killing someone."

Magistrates sentenced Gupta to 12 weeks in prison suspended for two years. They ordered him to complete 160 hours of unpaid work and banned him from driving for 50 months.

They did not offer him the drink impaired driver's course on the grounds he had already completed it once and it had had 'no impact' on his 'predilection for drink driving'.

Gupta was further ordered to pay £135 costs and a £122 victim surcharge.