A drink-driver smashed into the entrance of a block of flats, reversed, drove 12 houses down to his home, parked his severely damaged car on his driveway and went indoors.

Witnesses claim Antony Walton was driving at almost double the speed limit before he crashed in Fullingpits Avenue, Barming.

The 40-year-old was at the wheel of his Skoda Kodiaq when he lost control and crashed into the block, next to Broke Wood Way.

After reversing away from the building, he drove along the road to his home, parked on his driveway and went into his house.

Police were called to the scene and soon knocked on his door to arrest him.

Walton told them he’d had three beers and said he had made a mistake.

He was due to stand trial in May, charged with failing to report and failing to stop after an accident. He had originally denied the allegations but changed his pleas to guilty on the day.

Walton, now of Armytage Close, Hoo returned to Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on July 10 to hear his fate.

The bench was told repairs to the block of flats cost Hyde Housing £13,500.

Prosecutor Sidumiso Moyo told the court a witness had seen Walton driving before the crash, which was caught on CCTV.

She said: “There was extensive damage to the offside front of the vehicle and the front of the building also suffered extensive damage and had to be evacuated.

“The police found him at his home address and he was arrested and said to the officers, ‘I’ve done a wrong thing, I’ve had three beers, I feel like I’ve had more, it’s the first time I’ve made this mistake’.

“He did blow a reading of 53 microgrammes (during a breath test), and he has previous, but nothing relevant.”

Magistrates also heard he’d pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while unfit through drink at the earliest opportunity. As a result, a second offence of drink-driving was dropped, despite blowing over the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

They were also told no one had been injured during the smash and that Walton, a father-of-two, knew how fortunate he was that no one had been hurt. The building had only been evacuated because the damage to the door meant residents couldn’t access their homes.

The bench heard the crash had had an impact on him and his relationship and that with his neighbours.

Walton, a window fitter, said he had not reported the accident as by the time the police arrived to arrest him, it had already been reported.

The bench was also told Walton, who did still work, was of limited means as he was currently in an IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement), to pay off debts from a former, failed, business he had run.

Magistrates decided to go along with the recommendations of the probation report and placed Walton on a 12-month community order for the driving while unfit offence, which will involve him completing 15 rehabilitation sessions.

He must also wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 60 days and complete 100 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

If Walton completes a drink-driving course, his ban will be reduced by 18 weeks and he was also ordered to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

Magistrates told Walton they were not awarding compensation to Hyde Housing, as they said they would expect the housing association to claim through its insurance to recuperate the costs of the repairs to the building.

Walton has his licence endorsed for the other two offences.