POLICE responding to a 999 call found a car crashed in a ditch, and drunken Philip Henwood asleep in the back of the vehicle. Numerous attempts were made to wake the sleeping 21-year-old, officers banged on the Astra, and called loudly. But it took the ar

POLICE responding to a 999 call found a car crashed in a ditch, and drunken Philip Henwood asleep in the back of the vehicle.

Numerous attempts were made to wake the sleeping 21-year-old, officers banged on the Astra, and called loudly. But it took the arrival of Henwood's father on the scene at Newmarket Road, Stretham, to persuade Henwood to leave the car, Ely magistrates heard on Thursday.

It was then that police realised Henwood had been drinking, he smelled of alcohol, he was unsteady on his feet, his eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred, said Matthew Bradbury, prosecuting.

On arrest, Henwood was taken to Parkside Police Station in Cambridge, where he was abusive and refused to take a breath test.

At court, Henwood, of Calfe Fen Close, Soham, admitted failing to provide a specimen of breath on January 9. He was fined £200 with £60 costs and banned from driving for 18 months.

"I am thoroughly ashamed, I know there is no excuse for drink-driving," he told the court. "I am grateful no one else was involved. I was just five days from getting my first year of no claims".

"I was quite severely intoxicated. Things have been difficult, but I have made them a hundred times worse and a hundred times more expensive.