Norfolk coroner’s drink-drive warning after man, 23, died after crashing into a parked vehicle

A 23-year-old man loved for his 'heart of gold' was three-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit when he crashed into a parked vehicle and died.

Jason Goddard lost control of his blue Honda Civic in Carr Lane, near the junction with Green Lane, Great Moulton, while driving to his mum's house in the early hours of New Year's Day, an inquest in Norwich heard yesterday.

The Norwich-born labourer failed to negotiate a bend in the road and his car went through thorn bushes and hit a Land Rover Defender, according to police officers. They said the Land Rover had not been moved since November 2008 and was not parked near the roadside.

Mr Goddard had spent the evening in the Fox & Hounds, in Great Moulton, with his girlfriend Lucy, her family and their friends.

After arriving back at his girlfriend's parents' house in Carr Lane at 12.45am, Mr Goddard opted to drive instead of walk to his mum's house in Aslacton. Witnesses told the inquest a bang was heard at approximately 12.55am.

Mr Goddard died at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Tests indicated he had 282 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood – the legal limit is 80 microgrammes per 100ml.

Coroner William Armstrong said: 'This must serve as a warning that drinking and driving is a dangerous thing to do.'

Mum Caroline Goddard and his legally adopted dad, Martin, said in a statement after the hearing: 'We would like to thank everyone for their love and support throughout our devastating loss of Jason. We will always miss his cheeky smile and heart of gold. Never a day will go by when we don't think about him.'

A verdict of road traffic collision was recorded.