A Hythe man admitted downing seven pints at the pub before crashing into two parked cars and a road sign.

Anthony Ralph, 33, from Saltwood, drove his Toyota car down to a pub just 200 yards from his house.

But the drunk labourer’s erratic driving saw him smash into two parked cars on the way home, before the car broke down.

Appearing before Folkestone Magistrates Court today, Ralph pleaded guilty to both charges of drink driving and failing to stop after an accident.

Magistrates heard how he had abounded his car in the road with a note on the windscreen saying ‘had an accident, gone to get help.’

But when he returned to his house to charge his phone, he fell asleep and was awoken by the police knocking on the door.

Officers had found his damaged car abandoned near his house with the keys still in the ignition.

Mr Alan Land, defending, said: "He took the decision to get in the vehicle and drive that short distance to his home.

"After the collision the car stopped and he had no battery in his phone. So he left a note and went home to contact the police but he fell asleep.

"He made a stupid mistake, one I do not think he will make again."

Magistrate Mr Brown said: "We are not in favour of drink driving. Seven pints were consumed and then we heard he made the decision to drive a car.

"It was a short distance but a lot happened in that time. It could have had much more severe consequences if there had been pedestrians."

Ralph was banned for driving for 20 months and ordered to pay £755. This includes £300 fine for drink driving, £300 fine for failing to stop after an accident, a £30 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.