Santa crashed car on Christmas Eve after drinking too much

A MAN dressed as Santa Claus crashed his car while three times the legal alcohol limit on Christmas Eve, a court heard.

Joshua Lemarquand, aged 23, was spotted staggering around his Audi in a red suit in the early hours, Plymouth magistrates were told.

The barman had crashed into a parked car after deciding to drive home following a works night out.

Lemarquand, of Alexandra Road, Mutley, admitted drink-driving on December 24.

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He was found to have 105 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exactly three times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said a man was woken up by a car revving loudly outside his home in Queen's Road, Lipson, at about 5.20am on Christmas Eve.

He added he looked out of his window to see a man in a Santa Claus suit staggering around an Audi.

Mr Warden said police arrived to find Lemarquand still wearing his suit sitting in the car, which had damage to its front end.

The court heard officers found a parked BMW with damaged bodywork around the corner in Lipson Road. An Audi wheelnut was found nearby in the road.

Mr Warden said Lemarquand told police in interview he had been for a works night out at the Bac Bar in North Hill.

He said he had not intended to drive home, but for some reason he decided to take his car.

The court heard he did not drink to excess regularly and had since scrapped the car.

Lemarquand, representing himself, said: "There is nothing else I can say really."

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 24 months. He was given a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work. Lemarquand must pay £50 costs and £60 victim surcharge.