A DRINK driver who stole his grandma’s car before crashing it into a parked vehicle in Bean has been jailed.

Michael Atkinson, 22, had been out with his girlfriend on January 4 and returned drunk to his grandmother’s house in Sandy Lane at about 11pm.

Just over three hours later, he took the keys to the red Peugeot 206 but only managed to drive less than 100 yards when he collided with a parked grey Fiat Punto.

The force of the collision flipped the car on its side leaving it lying the middle of the road while the Punto was left with damage to the front nearside wing, bumper and skewed wheels.

Atkinson, of Sandy Lane, Bean, managed to climb out of the top of the car through the passenger’s door, before pleading with witnesses not to call police.

He stayed at the scene until officers arrived then attempted to run off before being detained.

In custody Atkinson gave a breath test reading three-and-a-half times over the legal limit, recording 122 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the limit is 35 microgrammes.

On January 6, the day after his arrest, he pleaded guilty via video link to Dartford Magistrates’ Court to aggravated vehicle taking, driving a motor vehicle when above the legal alcohol limit and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance.

He was jailed for five-and-a-half months and disqualified from driving for a year.

Kent Police Detective Constable Brian Smith, said: “The fact Atkinson could drive barely 100 yards down the road without being involved in a collision shows just how dangerous he was under the influence of alcohol and behind the wheel.

“Thankfully it was in the early hours of the morning when the road was empty of traffic or pedestrians otherwise this could have been a more serious incident.

“This was an example of swift justice at its best with the offender arrested, charged and sentenced within the space of a day.”