A chief mechanic at a coach company will lose his job after being caught drink-driving at nearly three times the limit, a court heard.

Thomas Sutton, 24, was seen to “fall out” of an Audi A4 on a garage forecourt in Fakenham, magistrates in King’s Lynn were told.

It happened just before 1am on February 21.

Police attended and found Sutton standing next to the vehicle with the keys in the ignition. Officers noted he was unsteady on his feet and there was damage to the car.

Sutton, of Market Lane, Wells, failed a roadside breath test and was arrested. In custody, he blew 98 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Prosecutor Jane Walker said: “In interview, he admitted driving. He said he’d had three pints and had suffered a blowout, which is why he had pulled into the garage forecourt.”

Sutton pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

In mitigation, solicitor Andrew Cogan said: “Mr Sutton tells me that far from falling out [of the car], he tripped over, which is why he was on all fours when the taxi driver saw him.”

He added that Sutton was driving home to his mother’s half a mile from the forecourt and the defendant would lose his job at Sanders Coaches at Holt as a result of the conviction.

Sutton was disqualified from driving for 26 months, which can be cut with successful completion of a drink driver rehabilitation course. He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £32 victim surcharge.