An aircraft engineer smashed into a parked car while trying to avoid another vehicle while over the limit, a court has heard.

Thomas Ridgway, 31, was driving a Ford Focus but crashed into a stationary car which shunted another vehicle into a wall on Harvey Lane, Norwich.

Norwich Magistrates Court heard police were called at just after midnight on May 23.

Laura McLeod, prosecuting, said Ridgway told officers there was a car coming towards him and he had moved to the other side of the road to try and avoid it.

He was breathalysed and had 73mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Ridgway, of Britannia Road, Norwich appeared in court on Friday (July 2) and admitted driving while above the limit.

Simon Nicholls, mitigating, said: “It’s hardly Agatha Christie is it? He told them (police) he was the driver and had a bump and that he was over the limit.

“However many people would have legged it?”.

He said the conviction and any ban was going to cause the defendant, who is an aircraft engineer, “all manner of problems” in not being able to drive.

Ridgway was banned from driving for 40 months, fined £400, ordered to pay £105 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.