A MAN and a friend who checked out of an alcohol rehabilitation centre early drank five or six bottles of wine before he crashed her car in Clayton-le-Dale.

Blackburn magistrates heard one of the bottles of wine they had drunk had been stolen by Daniel Brearley from Lancaster service station on the M6.

Brearley, 34, of Buchanan Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence and theft of a bottle of wine. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

The magistrates imposed an interim ban after hearing Brearley, who had two previous excess alcohol convictions, gave a breathalyser reading of 112 against the legal limit of 35.

Stacey Morrow, prosecuting, said after the car, which belonged to the female passenger but was driven by Brearley, had crashed in Showley Lane a member of the public removed the keys.

Brearley and his companion left the scene but police received another call to say they were hiding in a back garden.

When he was interviewed by police Brearley admitted leaving a rehabilitation centre earlier in the day with a woman he had met there. He drove her car and during the day they consumed five or six bottles of wine.