A drink driver who went on a seven mile rampage, leaving terrified motorists and a damaged roundabout in his wake, was spared prison yesterday.

Justin Sayer drove his Vauxhall Vectra from Norwich all the way to Wymondham while three times over the drink drive limit.

He crashed his silver saloon into a roundabout outside Norfolk police's Wymondham headquarters and was arrested nearby.

Sayer, of Sawmill Close, Wymondham, was spotted driving dangerously at 8.30pm on May 20 on Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, close to the junction with the A140.

As he turned on to the ring road, a motorist reported hearing a car revving and the grating of metal, and saw a cloud of smoke.

The 28-year-old's front tyre was disintegrating and an eyewitness described his driving as 'aggressive and desperate'.

Sayer was then spotted on the B1172 by Hethersett at 9.15pm, driving in the dark with no lights.

A driver had to slam on their breaks to avoid the swerving Sayer.

With his front tyre worn to the rim, Sayer nearly clipped the kerb of the central reservation.

The back tyre of the driver's side was flat as he hit Wymondham at 40mph and came to the roundabout at Tuttles Lane.

He drove straight on to the next roundabout outside Wymondham Police HQ and then drove the wrong way around it.

At Norwich Crown Court yesterday, Robert Warner, prosecuting, said: 'He got out and looked at the front of the car in puzzlement, then drove off.'

The Vectra was found in the entrance to Ketts Park on Harts Farm Road and Sayer, a refuse collector, was arrested.

He admitted driving dangerously and drink driving.

But Lindsay Cox, in mitigation, described his client as a man with 'profound personal difficulties'.

Mr Cox said Sayer suffered from low self-esteem and had not planned to drive that night.

Passing sentence, Recorder Katherine Moore said: 'This was a truly shocking piece of driving.'

But she said she would take an 'exceptional course' in sentencing due to Sayer's personal problems.

She gave Sayer an eight-month sentence suspended for 18 months and disqualified him from driving for three years.