A Sudbury carpenter who drove home after drinking four pints because he was worried about the safety of the tools in his van has been banned from the road.

Steven Warwick, 53, was behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Vivaro van when he hit a parked car on Bures Road, Great Cornard, on February 26 this year, Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard.

The police were called to the crash and Warwick failed a roadside breath test conducted by officers after being identified as the driver of the van.

Warwick was arrested and blew 67 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath in custody - nearly twice the legal limit of 35mcg in 100ml of breath.

Warwick explained to officers that he had been drinking at the rugby club and had intended to walk home, Colette Harper, prosecuting, told the court.

But when he was walking near to his van, he saw some men acting suspiciously and they then ran off, the court heard.

Warwick said he decided to drive home as he was worried about his tools being stolen after his van had been "ransacked" a few years earlier.

He added that he had consumed around four pints, with the last one being half an hour before he drove the van.

Warwick, of Belle Vue Road, Sudbury, pleaded guilty to drink driving before magistrates in Ipswich on Tuesday.

Warwick was not legally represented in court but told magistrates he had made "a stupid mistake".

"I hold my hands up, I've had quite a hard couple of years," he told the court.

"A few years ago, my van was completely ransacked. I was paranoid about losing my tools again."

He added that he worked as a carpenter and builder, and that his tools are his "livelihood".

Sentencing him on Tuesday, magistrates banned Warwick from the road for 19 months, and fined him £750.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of £105 and a victim surcharge of £75.

Magistrates offered Warwick the drink drive rehabilitation course, which will reduce his ban by 19 weeks if completed within the allotted time.