UNINSURED driver Paul Smith crashed his car while over the drink-drive limit on a trip to buy his wife some flowers, magistrates have heard.

Smith, 38, of Easton Square, Sherston, pleaded guilty at North Wiltshire Magistrates Court in Chippenham on Monday to driving with excess alcohol, having no insurance and having no driving licence, following the accident on December 22.

He was disqualified from driving for 27 months and fined £190.

Michelle Hewitt, prosecuting, said police were called to an accident on the Sherston-Norton road at 1.50pm on December 22 involving a Peugeot that had careered into a hedge.

The car was empty, but police traced the number plate to Smith's address.

Smith told police he had lost control of his vehicle on a large piece of ice, but the officers also realised he was drunk.

"His eyes were glazed, his speech was slurred, he smelt of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, and couldn't stand up," said Ms Hewitt.

Smith told police he had had half a glass of whisky when he got back from the accident, 20 minutes previously.

In a breath test at Chippenham police station Smith was over the limit, recording 120mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. A further test revealed that at the time of the accident Smith would have had 85mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Smith said he had gone out to buy his wife some flowers and that it had been a stupid thing to do.