A man who falsely claimed someone had stolen his car when it was found abandoned after a crash has been banned from driving.

When police officers turned up at his door following the collision, Richard Glozier denied being behind the wheel and told them that his keys must have been taken.

But the following day, the 48-year-old of Haste Hill Road, Boughton Monchelsea called the control room to confess that he had been driving.

On Friday, magistrates heard how Glozier had been travelling along Green Lane with two friends on March 9 when his Nissan Micra hit a parked Ford Fiesta, at which point all three men fled the scene.

Andrew Jones, prosecuting, said when officers turned up at Glozier’s home to arrest him, he was under the influence of alcohol and was found with a small quantity of cannabis.

He gave a breath test of 88 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, but said he had continued drinking following the crash. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Despite intitially denying being involved he later admitted his guilty and pleaded guilty to all charges, including failing to stop after an accident, driving while unfit through drink, obstructing the police and possession of a class B drug.

The court heard Glozier had suffered a brain injury after being involved in a road accident many years ago, and has since suffered from mental health problems.

He was disqualified from driving for 22 months, will have his licence endorsed, and was fined £280. He must also pay £115 in court charges.