A MAN who caused a late night incident in South Petherton after crashing into a parked car and ending up lying in a hedge told police he had been “paralytic” at the time.

Rikki Mark Murphy had been out drinking with friends in Yeovil when he ended up in the village and ploughed into the other vehicle shunting it up the road.

After waking several local residents he fled the car and ran up the road, ducking out of sight behind another car, and was later found by police lying face down in the hedge after being injured.

He later said he had no idea why he ended up in the centre of the village, and after the court was told he had a previous conviction for drink driving he was given a three year ban from the roads.

Murphy, 27, of St Mary’s Court, Taunton, pleaded guilty to driving a Peugeot 406 on Silver Street, South Petherton, after consuming excess alcohol on June 23 when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates.

Emma Lenanton, prosecuting, said that the victim parked her car outside her home address in South Petherton but at 11pm that evening she heard a loud bang.

“Her partner looked outside and said someone had just written off her car and she saw the vehicle had been shunted forward two car lengths and the rear passenger side was lodged in a hedge,” she said.

“Another resident described hearing an enormous bang and saw a stationary white vehicle and a male got out of the driver’s seat and ran across the road and ducked behind her parked car.”

The victim went outside with her partner and about 20 metres up the road saw the Peugeot in the middle of the road with all the doors closed and fluid was running out of it.

Smoke was coming from it and the airbags had been deployed but no one was inside, and a neighbour suddenly shouted: “He’s in the bushes.”

“The complainant then found Murphy lying face down in the hedgerow and he appeared to have sustained some injuries,” said Miss Lenanton.

“The police were called and the defendant was taken to hospital and made various comments and admissions.

“A sample of blood was taken which produced a reading of 215mlg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mlg of alcohol.”

Defending solicitor Ray Peters said that at the time of the offence Murphy was extremely depressed, his relationship had ended and he had been without accommodation for a considerable period of time.

“On this occasion he decided to come into Yeovil to meet with some friends and intended to spend the night there,” he said.

“However, during interview he confirmed that he had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and was paralytic and 10 out of 10 drunk.

“He could not explain how he ended up in South Petherton and the next thing he recalled was waking up in hospital and being taken to the police station.”

He added that Murphy, who was currently unemployed, was now a full time carer for his young daughter and knew he faced a minimum three year ban after having a similar previous conviction within the last 10 years.

Alongside the disqualification the magistrates sentenced the defendant to a 12 month community order with a 20 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and also ordered him to carry out 80 hours unpaid work.

Costs of £85, a £150 court charge and a £60 victim surcharge were also imposed.