A MAN drank "half a bottle of vodka" before crashing his car into another vehicle.

Matthew Stephenson was more than four times the drink driving limit when he ploughed his BMW 118 into a woman's car.

The 53-year-old is said to have appeared intoxicated and had slurred words after getting out of his vehicle in Christchurch Road, New Milton.

He offered the woman £500 and claimed he had no insurance details following the crash on September 6, a court heard.

However, the confessed alcoholic then got into his car and drove to where he lives with his mother in Marine Drive, Barton-on-Sea.

When officers knocked on his door he was holding a bottle containing an orange liquid and admitted he had been drinking vodka.

In the police van, he made admissions saying "I knew this was coming. I am an alcoholic. I always drink and drive but I get away with it".

After being breathalysed he was found to have 147 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Stephenson appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with a single count of drink driving.

Defending, Will Day, argued his client has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to the offences straight away.

Mr Day added that Stephenson had always been a social drinker but it had crept into his life and got heavier and heavier.

He told how his client had gone for a walk and drunk half a bottle of vodka before the crash happened.

The magistrates' Chair, Mr David Boniface slapped him with an 18-month community order which includes 18 rehabilitation days.

Stephenson must pay a £900 fine, £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

Despite previously having a full clean driving licence he has been disqualified for 60 months.