A MAN who crashed into a lamppost on the way to pick up his girlfriend had been drinking alcohol but thought he wouldn’t be over the limit, a court heard.

Police were called to a crash on Sunday, April 21, at around 9pm in Wingate, near Peterlee where they found an Audi A4 had collided with a lamppost.

Rehana Haque, prosecuting, said Anthony Dalton told police he had “misjudged the junction”.

She added: “Officers realised that the defendant smelled of alcohol and he failed a road side breath test.”

Dalton, of Silver Courts, Brandon, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving whilst above the legal drink drive limit.

He had 145mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, the legal limit is 80mg.

Jaxon Taylor, mitigating, said: “He accepts that he had consumed some alcohol but thought he wouldn’t be over the limit.

"He was on the way to pick up his girlfriend.”

Dalton, 39, was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £120. He must also pay £85 costs and £35 victim surcharge.