AN ISLE of Wight man who ploughed his car into the Racecourse Roundabout near Whippingham while almost three times the drink-drive limit, was disqualified from driving.

Billy Richard Welch was banned for 23 months and ordered to retake his driving test after he admitted drink-driving on Lushington Hill, near Wootton, during the early hours of May 22.

The 20 year old crashed his Renault Megane into the centre of the roundabout and fled the scene — all seen by the driver and passenger of a car following him, said Liz Miller, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

Welch, of Barge Lane, Wootton, was found by the police walking up Lushington Hill and was clearly heavily intoxicated.

He was taken to Newport Police Station, where he blew 99 microgrammes. The legal drink-drive limit is 35.

Welch, with no previous convictions, had only passed his driving test eight months before the accident.

For Welch, Henry Farley said: "He is astonished and full of shame of his decision to drive that night. It's probably the most foolish thing he's done in his life.

"He was in a relationship of three years standing, which came to a very rocky end around about the time of the accident.

"He drank too much and his judgement went out of the window."

Alongside his driving ban, Welch was handed a year's probation, with 80 hours' community work and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

As he is a new driver, Welch was ordered to take a retest.