A MAN who was ‘significantly over’ the drink-drive limit fled from the scene of a crash, a court heard.

Stephen Richard Dodd, of Castlefield, Ambleside, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to failing to stop after a road accident and driving a vehicle while over the limit.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said the 59-year-old failed to stop after he crashed his black Ford Transit van into a blue Volkswagen Tiguan at the Plumgarths Roundabout in Kendal on the A591 at 5:20 pm on July 17 this year.

South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court heard Dodd was arrested as a result of him returning a positive alcohol breath test for analysis.

Mr Dacre said the defendant exceeded the prescribed limit after giving a lowest reading of 132 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

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On August 5, magistrates said they were able to step back from imposing an immediate custodial sentence as they believed the defendant had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation within the community due to his willingness to deal with alcohol misuse issues.

They said the offences were aggravated due to being ‘significantly over the drink drive limit’, causing a crash and fleeing from the scene.

Dodd was sentenced to a 12-week sentence suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to complete 120 days of an alcohol abstinence and monitoring programme and ten rehabiliation requirement days.

Dodd was also banned from driving for 32 months and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £154 surcharge.

He was offered the opportunity to do a drink drive awareness course which if completed successfully would reduce his disqualification by 32 weeks.