A DRIVER who crashed his car into a wall could hardly stand he was so drunk.

Blackburn magistrates heard a police officer who attended the scene was "appalled" by the state Noshad Ali was in.

Ali, 31, of Burnley Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and while disqualified.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 24 months and made subject to a community order for 12 months with 25 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and six months Alcohol Treatment Requirement. He was banned from driving for 48 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and £128 victim surcharge.

Graeme Tindall, prosecuting, said a witness was in bed asleep at her home in Cliviger when she was woken by the screeching of car tyres followed by a loud crash.

She looked out to see a Mercedes with the engine still running and the driver staggering across the road.

As she watched he fell over and then had to prop himself against a wall to remain upright.

"The officer who attended said in the 14 years he had been in the force he had never seen a driver so intoxicated," said Mr Tindall.

"He was appalled to see the defendant was so drunk he could hardly stand."

He said Ali, who gave a reading more than three times the legal limit, had been disqualified for a previous excess alcohol in February.

Iftikhar Ahmed, defending, said his client, a family man with two children, clearly had issues with alcohol.

"He understands that what he did was wrong and the potential consequences for other road users," said Mr Ahmed.