A 'family man' from Calne who crashed a car into a ditch after drinking at a party claims he had been trying to find his girlfriend who was asleep next to him.

Kevin Doman, of Swaddon Street in Calne, was found on the B4042 in the early hours of Sunday, July 7, after police officers were called to a road traffic collision.

The 42-year-old found inside his car in a ditch when officers arrived and had to be assisted out by the fire service.

A positive reading at the roadside showed that he was over the legal drink-drive limit, with 67 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath - the limit is 35.

He pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, July 24 to a charge of drink driving.

Doman was described by his defence lawyer Mr Hotson as "not normally a drinker".

The lawyer explained how Doman had gotten into the car in search of his partner - who had been sleeping in bed beside him.

Wiltshire Police and the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service were called to the crashWiltshire Police and the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service were called to the crash (Image: Newsquest)

"On the night in question he had been at a party with friends and he had consumed a significant quantity of alcohol," said Mr Hotson.

“His partner left and went home much earlier on. A couple of friends then took him home and put him to bed beside his girlfriend.

“That’s where he loses memory of the night completely."

“A couple of neighbours said he knocked on their door looking for his girlfriend," the defence lawyer added.

“He thinks he might have been going to a club to look for his girlfriend but he has no recollection of getting in the car.

“Police later came to the house and the girlfriend was still in bed and hadn’t even realised he had got up and gone out."

Kevin Doman appeared at Swindon Magistrate's CourtKevin Doman appeared at Swindon Magistrate's Court (Image: Newsquest)

Doman is a father of two and a qualified HGV driver and had been in the process of getting further qualified at the time of the crash.

“Although he has previous convictions those are from 2013 and he had since turned his life around and become a family man," said Mr Hotson.

“His last drink driving conviction was 21 years ago and he has now, in his own words, absolutely destroyed his life."

Chair of the Magistrate's Bench, Natalie O'Connell ordered that Doman be disqualified from driving for 18 months and offered a drink-drive awareness course.

He must also pay a fine of £120, court costs of £85, and a £48 surcharge. This leaves him with a total bill of £253.