A DRINK-driver who called police after crashing into a wall is among three men who have been banned from road.

Matthew Hodgkinson was three times the legal alcohol limit when the van he was driving collided with a wall on the road between Woodbridge and Bawdsey.

The 23-year-old is now disqualified from driving for two years after pleading guilty to driving with excess alcohol, when he appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court.

Hodgkinson was driving a blue Ford Fusion at around 3.50am on Christmas Eve when he lost control on the B1083 at Alderton.

The initial police log indicated dispatcher was called by the driver of the vehicle in which three men had been travelling.

The caller said he was under the influence of alcohol and had gone into a ditch.

When police arrived at the scene the found the Ford Fusion embedded in a garden wall.

It appeared to have gone off the road after coming round a left-hand bend.

A breath test showed Hodgkinson, of Grand Drive, south-west London, had 105 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

In addition to his driving ban the civil engineer was given a community order with 80 hours unpaid work. He must also pay £60 to the victims’ fund and £85 costs.

Karl Gardner, of Robin Drive, Ipswich, was also banned from driving by Ipswich magistrates after being caught drunk behind the wheel on Christmas Day.

The 21-year-old had been travelling in a black Renault Clio on the Ipswich-bound carriageway of the A14 at Sproughton.

A breath test showed he had 60 mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

Gardner, who admitted drink-driving, was disqualified from driving for 18 months, fined £110, and must pay £20 to the victims’ fund and £85 costs.

Wieslaw Sztemberg, of Norwich Road, Ipswich, was the third person before the court to plead guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

The 62-year-old was caught in the car park of Lloyds TSB in Bramford Road, Ipswich, on December 22.

Sztemberg had 53mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

He was given a 15-month driving ban, fined £180, ordered to pay £20 to the victims’ fund, along with costs of £85.