An off-duty policeman watched as a pensioner, who was four times the drink-drive limit, reverse into his car in Swadlincote at 2pm in the afternoon.

Alan Bennett, of St John's Drive, Newhall, was then confronted by the officer. The OAP went on to tell the officer he was unaware of what he had done and when he was shown the damage he had caused, he replied, “whatever”.

The 65-year-old retired coal sampler admitted that he drinks four cans of lager every night and on the day of the offence had sunk three glasses of red wine and whisky at lunchtime before getting into his car.

Now he has been banned from the roads for four years after pleading guilty to drink-driving.

Sentencing him, District Judge Jonathan Taaffe asked Bennett: “Did you drink four cans or four barrels because you were four times the drink-drive limit?

“It is only by the grace of God that you did not kill yourself or an innocent person.

“You were four times the legal limit and you were in control of a lethal weapon.

“It is my public duty to say people driving with excess alcohol will always risk imprisonment.

“But your age, the fact that you are a man of good character and your early guilty plea means I can suspend that.”

Ruth Snodin, prosecuting at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court, said the offence took place in Alma Road, Swadlincote, on March 21.

She said the officer was walking home when he noticed the Ford Fiesta being driven by Bennett reversing towards his parked car.

There was a collision and Bennett then drove forwards.

Mrs Snodin said: “The officer went to the car and said to the defendant, ‘you have just hit my car, did you not see it?’ to which the defendant replied ‘no’.

“The officer said, ‘come and have a look what you have done’ and when the defendant got out of his vehicle the officer saw that he was unsteady on his feet.

“The defendant looked at the damage and replied, ‘whatever’.”

Mrs Snodin said the police were called and a roadside breath test revealed that Bennett blew a reading of 137 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35.

He was arrested, charged and pleaded guilty to one count of drink-driving.

After his plea, Bennett, a divorced father-of-two, was interviewed by a probation officer who prepared a verbal report for Judge Taaffe.

In it he said: “He told me he drinks four cans of lager every night and has done for 20 years.

“He said on the day of the offence he started drinking at noon and had three glasses of red wine and some whisky until 1.45pm.

“He did admit he was tottering on his feet but he did not think he was drunk.”

Judge Taaffe said to Bennett: “You have a drink problem.

“You have built up a tolerance to alcohol.”

As well as the road ban, Bennett was handed a 20-week jail term, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to attend an alcohol awareness programme, pay £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.