A homeless man found slumped in a vehicle in a public car park with music blaring was more than four times over the legal drink-drive limit.

Darren Williams was seen by police in his Vauxhall Meriva in the parking area off Leander Drive, Gravesend, on January 27.

A court heard the 56-year-old had been living in the car after being made homeless.

He had to be roused by police who smelt alcohol on his breath.

Williams admitted he had been drinking and was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

He was charged with being in charge of a vehicle while over the drink-drive limit and admitted the offence when he appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on February 28.

The court heard his breath test reading was 159 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

District Judge William Nelson was told Williams had been living in his car for about four weeks before the incident.

He had been made redundant, had lost his home in the process, was on benefits and was regretful for what had happened.

The court also heard because of his situation Williams had been using alcohol to help him to sleep.

He had no income and only had £47 left to his name and was probably at the lowest point in his life, the bench was told.

The car was now said to be on his mother’s driveway and not in a public place but Williams was still living in it as he didn’t have a very good relationship with his father, who was not willing to have him in the family home.

Judge Nelson told Williams he would have to ban him from driving but warned him he would have to be very careful if he was still living in his vehicle as he was not allowed to drive it at all.

The judge added: “If you move the vehicle, that’s classed as driving. Even if you use the handbrake, or caused it to move by using it, that’s driving and you would be breaking the law as that’s counted as driving.

“You need to be very careful if you are living and sleeping in the car and as for the reading, it was 159 – our guidelines stop at 150.”

Williams was banned from driving for 12 months and also placed on a 12-month community order which will include 15 rehab sessions and 150 hours of unpaid work.