Suspended sentence for drink driver who crashed partner's Land Rover into Skegness caravan park wall

Shaun Murphy, 40, who was living at Butlins Funcoast World in Roman Bank, admitted aggravated vehicle taking and driving without insurance following the crash on 7 July.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Murphy took the keys from his partner's pocket without her knowledge with the intention of driving to a local supermarket.

On his return journey Murphy crashed the Land Rover Discovery with a distinctive number plate into a wall outside a caravan park.

When the passenger door was opened, alcohol cans tumbled onto the ground, the court was told.

Murphy injured his leg in the collision and that the damage to the vehicle was estimated to be in the region of £30,000.

The court heard Murphy admitted having problems with alcohol but refused to give police a specimem.

He also admitted taking the keys without his partner's permission from the pocket where he knew she usually kept them.

Steven Taylor, mitigating, told the court Murphy had now taken steps to help his drinking problem and was still in a relationship with his partner.

"He is very sorry for what happened," Mr Taylor added.

Passing sentence Recorder Michael Auty QC told Murphy he was lucky not to have seriously injured anyone.

Recorder Auty said: "What you did was absolutely absurd.

"Just imagine what would have happened if you had collided with a member of the public.

"They would have had very little chance of surviving."

But the Recorder told Murphy he could avoid an immediate jail sentence because of his lack of previous convictions and the steps he had taken to address his heavy drinking.

Murphy was sentenced to ten months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours of community punishment.

He was also banned from driving for 18 months.