A father has been banned from driving for 40 months after crashing into a lamppost after a festive night out.

Scott Friend, of Caxton Close, Tiptree, admitted one charge of drink driving and another of using threatening, abusive words or behaviour at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

In December, the 29-year-old crashed his Ford Fiesta into the light fixing at the side of Maldon Road in the village.

After being arrested, he spent his time in the hospital waiting room swearing and being "aggressive" causing alarm to residents.

Kathy Wilson, prosecuting, said: "Just before 12.40am on December 22, officers were patrolling in Tiptree and saw the vehicle at the side of the road.

"They also saw Friend walking towards the vehicle and then standing next to it. He is the registered keeper of the vehicle.

"As the airbags had activated, the officers took him to hospital.

"Whilst waiting at the hospital he told the officers he had been drink driving and also became argumentative.

"He repeatedly shouted, including the f word, and he was told on several occasions to not use that language.

"He was then discharged and returned to custody where he was breath tested at 4.40am."

Friend was found to have 59 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He has 13 previous convictions for 24 offences.

Ralph Pigott, mitigating, said the incident was "out of character" as his client had begun to turn his life around after a troubled past.

"On this occasion, his friends from work had been out to a Christmas meal and he attended and drank a couple of beers and a Jack Daniels and coke," he said.

"He did not realise he could not drink quite like he used to.

"He now sees his two daughters every week and he does not go out drinking.

"By the standards of how well he has been doing recently this was out of character."

Magistrates disqualified Friend from driving for 40 months and ordered him to pay £437 in fines and costs.