A BUILDER who had been drinking crashed a van and left it on its side in a lane — and then went home to bed, Plymouth magistrates last Friday heard.

The court heard that unlicensed Kenneth Palmer, aged 48, took the vehicle without his wife's permission, but flipped it over when he hit a large stone.

Police found the Vauxhall Combi abandoned on its side with its headlights on and traced sleeping Mr Palmer to his nearby home, the court was told.

The father of three, of Mill Hill Cottages, near Tavistock, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, drink-driving, using a motor vehicle without a test certificate, without insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police were called to a single-vehicle crash which left a van on its side in Crease Lane, Tavistock on March 2.

He said officers cleared the accident and then visited the nearby home of the registered keeper — Mr Palmer's wife.

Mr Warden said that she had no idea that the van had been taken from the back of the property.

The court heard that Mr Palmer was not licensed to drive the vehicle, which did not have an MOT certificate.

Mr Warden said police woke Mr Palmer up in his bed and he was taken to Launceston Police Station and breathalysed. He was found to have 56 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, above the legal limit of 35.

Mr Warden said Mr Palmer admitted drinking 'a few glasses of brandy' but felt merry rather than drunk.

He added he had flipped the van over by hitting a large stone but left the scene feeling 'dazed and confused'.

Graham Kinchen, for Mr Palmer, said he was neither insured nor licensed and knew the van was not licensed.

But he said that he had decided to take the van for a test run because the couple were selling it.

Mr Kinchin said Mr Palmer did not have a problem with excessive drinking.

Magistrates handed him a 12-month community order with 200 hours unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay £80 costs and £60 victim surcharge.