A MAN downed a bottle of vodka after being chased home following a crash, a court heard.

Jamie Attwood, aged 39, ran home after a scuffle with the owner of a vehicle that he crashed into.

Attwood, of Coldicotts Close, in Bretforton, near Evesham, punched the man in the face after crashing his Renault Master van.

John Ward confronted Attwood when he found him reversing from the scene, in Station Road, Bretforton, at around 1.30am.

Amy Davies, prosecuting, said: “The owner [Mr Ward] heard a bang and went outside…He saw him try to reverse and opened the door and told him to get out.

“He didn’t get out so the owner grabbed the keys and took them out.”

Ms Davies, prosecuting, said Mr Ward dragged the ‘irate’ defendant out of the van and detained him.

“During the detention he [Attwood] kicked out at the owner but failed to connect,” the prosecution said.

“Several neighbours surrounding said ‘let him sit up’ but when he did so he [Attwood] punched him in the left cheek and he ran off.

“The defendant said he punched the man so he could escape, then he went home.

“He [Attwood] immediately consumed a bottle of vodka when he got home.”

A neighbour chased Attwood to his house and waited outside until the police took him out of the property.

Attwood, who has no previous convictions, is not a violent man and the incident was out of character, the court heard.

The prosecution said Attwood had been drinking before the crash and the vodka had affected his memory.

Mark Lister, defending, said the incident was a culmination of Attwood’s battle with alcohol, which had been going on for the past two years.

Mr Lister added the defendant’s alcohol issues were caused by long working hours and a relationship break-up.

The defence said Attwood had completed an alcohol detox programme since the incident which took place on Friday, August 12 and was making ‘enormous strides’.

Attwood pleaded guilty to drink driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report that accident and assault by beating.

His original not guilty pleas were changed after getting involved in a detox programme.

Worcester Magistrates Court gave him a 12 week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered him to pay £615 in compensation and costs.

The court also suspended him from driving for 32 months and imposed 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.