THE former manager of a prestigious Christchurch restaurant has been banned from the roads after his Audi Q5 ploughed through gardens and allotments before hitting a wall in the early hours of the morning.

Charles Williamson, who had been in charge at The Jetty, came off the road just half a mile from his Mudeford home on August 12.

He then ran from the scene. A blood test taken shortly after his arrest an hour later revealed he had 214 millilitres of alcohol in his blood. The limit is 80, meaning he was more than two-and-a-half times the limit.

On Friday, Williamson, 36, appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court to admit drink driving.

Richard Oakley, prosecuting, said: "Just after 4am that day, police were called to the Nelson Tavern following a road traffic collision.

"An Audi Q5 was driving at speed along the Quay from Christchurch when it lost control, mounted a kerb and went across three residents' gardens and allotments.

"It then collided with a stationary vehicle in a driveway, which was pushed into another stationary vehicle in that same driveway, before colliding with a tree and a brick wall.

"Bricks from the wall scattered over the pub car park and a number of bricks smashed the building's windows."

Williamson and colleagues had worked from 11am until around 2am that day at the restaurant, which is owned by the Christchurch Harbour Hotel, before deciding to drive to McDonald's, it was heard.

The defendant had members of his staff in the car at the time of the collision. All left the scene.

Just after 5am, ambulance crews contacted police to say they had treated the driver and registered keeper of the Audi at his home for head injuries.

He was then arrested.

Williamson already holds a previous drink-driving conviction from nine years ago.

Jonathan Morrissey, mitigating, said the defendant is "the victim of his own professional standards and stupidity".

"At the time, he was the restaurant manager at a hotel in Mudeford," Mr Morrisey said.

"He had been in that situation for the past six or seven years."

Williamson had come under increasing pressure and was working longer hours, to the detriment of his family life, the court heard.

"He was trying harder and harder, working more and more hours himself to fill in the gaps," Mr Morrisey said.

"He was going into a downward spiral."

The defendant reached "crisis point" after the crash and has since attended the Priory in Southampton as an inpatient. He has also been abstinent from alcohol for 120 days, it was heard.

Magistrates sentenced Williamson, who is now the general manager of the Kings Arms in Christchurch, to a £672 fine, as well as £85 costs and a £67 surcharge. In addition, he was disqualified from driving for 40 months.