A DRIVER who was three times the legal alcohol limit when he crashed his vehicle into a lamp-post in Bere Alston has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Plymouth Magistrates Court this week heard that William Drake, of Gunnislake, drove erratically through Bere Alston, before crashing his car on February 26.

Magistrates were told that Mr Drake had a longstanding alcohol problem and had previous convictions for failing to provide a specimen as a driver.

Mr Drake changed his plea on the day of his appearance and admitted drink driving.

Gareth Warden, prosecuting, said a witness had called the police after seeing a BMW car being driven erratically through Bere Alston just before 4pm on February 26. The vehicle was spotted colliding with a lamp-post.

The court heard that officers searched the village and found Mr Drake's damaged car parked nearby.

Mr Drake gave a sample of blood and was found to have 257 milligrams of alcohol in 80 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

Martin Pearce, defending, said Mr Drake was seeking counselling for his long-standing problems with alcohol.

Mr Pearce said Mr Drake was unemployed and living on benefits, but that he hoped to cut down his drinking in order to save money.

The court heard he had served a jail sentence in the past.

The magistrates, after reading a probation report on Mr Drake's background, gave him a five-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

They also ordered him to complete a six-month alcohol treatment requirement and pay £200 prosecution costs.

Mr Drake was banned from driving for five years.