A NEW Year's Eve reveller who smashed his car into a tree was over the drink-drive limit, a court heard.

Andrew Richard Hodgson, 18, had six passengers in his car when he crashed on the outskirts of Willington, in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Magistrates at Newton Aycliffe heard that police saw Hodgson speeding in a 30mph zone. As he approached a bend, a police car travelling at 70mph was not gaining on him.

Peter Smith, prosecuting, said Hodgson lost control of the car.

"It began to fishtail. It slid sideways on to the opposite side of the road, mounted the kerb and the grass verge, travelled for a distance of about 70 yards and then struck a tree," he said.

Hodgson climbed through the driver's window and began to run down the road, but an officer gave chase and arrested him.

Mr Smith said an eight-year-old boy in the car received minor head injuries and three other passengers required hospital treatment.

A blood test later revealed that Hodgson had 171 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit is 80.

Hodgson, of Warwick Place, Crook, admitted offences of dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and having no licence or insurance.

Andrew Clinton, for Hodgson, said he had driven in order to avoid having to pay a taxi fare.

He said: "It was New Year's Eve, they'd been out and tried to get a taxi and then found out how expensive that was. He's then taken the risk of driving, simply to avoid that expense."

Hodgson was fined £300 for dangerous driving, £300 for drink-driving and banned for two years. He was also fined £50 for failing to surrender to bail after missing an earlier hearing and was ordered to pay £110 prosecution costs.