A council worker who crashed his car after drinking three cans of beer has been banned from the road.

Shane Molloy was at the wheel of his grey Vauxhall Zafira when he ploughed into the back of another vehicle in Charlesworth Drive, Birchington, on June 2.

A court heard that when police arrived at the scene they asked Molloy, who works for Thanet District Council, if he’d been drinking and he admitted he’d had a beer 30 minutes earlier.

However, the 44-year-old then told officers he’d had three cans over about two-and-a-half hours before he got in the car and a roadside breath test saw him blow over the legal limit.

Molloy, of Farrar Road, Birchington, admitted drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Margate on June 14.

The court heard he was arrested and further tests at the police station saw him give a reading of 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Defending himself, Molloy told the court he worked for Thanet District Council earning £2,000 a month and had a wife and four children to provide for.

He added: “I am sorry for my actions.”

Magistrates banned him from driving for 16 months because they said the offence was aggravated by the crash and fined him £120 for the offence.

Molloy was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £48 as well as £85 court costs.