A VENTNOR drink driver who lied to police in interview ­— telling officers his father had been involved in a crash instead of him ­— has been sentenced.

Robert James Rowell, 23, of Rew Close, appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court last Tuesday.

He admitted drink driving, taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

Ann Smout, prosecuting, said on November 7, 2020, Rowell was driving while over the prescribed alcohol limit.

He registered 86 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath ­— when the legal limit is 35.

Mrs Smout said a couple had been asleep in their Ventnor home, near the junction of Trinity Road and Madeira Road, when they heard an almighty bang outside.

When they looked out of the window, they saw a VW Touran had crashed into their house, and saw a young man ­— Rowell ­— walking away.

The court heard how when police conducted a search, tracing the registration of the vehicle, they had spoken to Rowell's father.

Mrs Smout said police ascertained it had been his son who had taken the vehicle without consent.

When police later arrested Rowell on Ventnor Esplanade, he had been fully co-operative, but claimed his father had been driving the vehicle.

Mrs Smout said damage had been caused to the front of the vehicle, two large planters had been smashed, and chunk was left missing from a solid-stone wall.

Henry Farley, defending, said what Rowell told police had been a short-lived lie he thought better of later, when he pleaded guilty.

He said Rowell had caused a low level of damage, but as a result of the collision, Rowell came clean about the state of his mental health, and how he suffered chronically from depression and anxiety.

Mr Farley said it had emerged Rowell was autistic, and said his mother had been trying for years to get help.

Rowell was given a 12-month community order, and was disqualified from driving for 40 months.

He was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £95 surcharge.