A BUILDER who crashed his car while twice the limit after a row with his girlfriend has been banned from the roads.

Arron Smith admitted one count of drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in January.

Police were called to a crash in Hereford's Whitehorse Street at 4am on December 23, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

Smith had called officers to the scene himself, the court heard, telling them he was intoxicated and that he had crashed his car.

He was arrested after failing a roadside breath test, and an evidential breath test taken in custody revealed that he had 84 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Chris Read, for Smith, said the 21-year-old had spent the evening out in Hereford with his girlfriend before the crash.

"Unfortunately he got into a dispute with her and left the nightclub they had been at alone to walk back to her house," Mr Read said.

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"His car was parked very close to her home and he had set out with the intention of spending the night there before going home the next day."

But, the court heard, Smith had instead decided to get behind the wheel of his Fiat Punto, and drive, only managing to travel a very short distance before hitting a parked car.

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"He was then very responsible and called the police, told them he had been drinking and hit a parked car, and effectively told them to come and get him," Mr Read said.

The court heard Smith has lost his job in the building industry as a result of the offence, as he is required to drive.

Smith, of Fownhope, Herefordshire, was fined £120 and disqualified from driving for 18 months. He must also pay costs of £135 and a £48 victim surcharge.