A DRINK-DRIVER who smashed into a parked car and wrote it off was almost four times the legal limit.

Gary Bendall, aged 32, of Oak Crescent, Malvern, appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.

He had already admitted drink-driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without a licence and without insurance in Malvern on Monday, October 13.

Having been to Worcester earlier in the day, Bendall had drunk six cans of strong cider before driving to a friend’s house in Russell Drive in his partner’s Ford Fiesta.

Sallie Hewitt, prosecuting, said his partner noticed at about 7.30pm her car had gone from the drive outside and the keys were missing.

“She then received a panicked phone call from Bendall 10 minutes later saying he had hit another vehicle and that he was sorry,” she said.

Shortly afterwards police got a call from a motorists saying he had seen two cars, including a Ford Fiesta, parked up with “significant” damage.

The other vehicle was a Volkswagen Polo, parked in Pickersleigh Road, which Bendall crashed into causing £1,000 in damage and writing it off.

He left the car outside his friend’s house in Russell Drive where police officers later found it, tracing Bendall’s girlfriend as the owner.

Miss Hewitt said police had described the car having a “caved in” nearside wing and a flat tyre.

When officers later spoke to Bendall at home he admitted what he had done, telling them: “I was driving, I have no licence or insurance, I’ve hit a car.”

He was later breathalysed at Malvern police station and had 136mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35 mcg.

Adrian Gaynor-Smith, in mitigation, said his client had seen a doctor about his drinking following the incidents and had an appointment with Worcestershire Community Alcohol Team.

He said: “He appreciates how serious this is and has taken a grip of himself.”

Bendall was given a 16-week jail sentence suspended for 18 months with a supervision order and banned from the road for three years.

He was also given 80 hours unpaid community work and ordered to pay £300 compensation to the owner of the Volkswagen and £60 costs.