A DRINK-DRIVER who went out to buy fast food in the early hours of the morning ended up ploughing his wife’s car into the front wall of a town centre house.

Lionel Mushonga, 28, smashed the Vauxhall Corsa into the home with such force the owner could not open his front door.

He had taken the car out at 5am while his wife was away and briefly visited a nightclub before losing control in Curtis Street.

Police found he had 92mg of alcohol in 100mg of breath – more than twice the legal limit – at the scene on February 22.

Mushonga appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court yesterday for sentencing having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to drink-driving, possessing cannabis, driving without insurance and aggravated vehicle taking.

Prosecutor Pauline Lambert said: “Police are called to a road traffic accident in Curtis Street involving a Vauxhall Corsa which had crashed through the front wall of a property.

“Police then speak to the driver and smell intoxicating liquor on his breath.

“A roadside breath test is carried out and the vehicle is found to be registered to Mr Mushonga’s wife who is the only named driver. Mushonga, of London Street in the town centre, was taken into custody.

Police then forced entry into his home and found cannabis as they searched the house.

Mark Glendenning, defending, said Mushonga, who was of previous good character, had made an error of judgement while his wife was away.

Mr Glendenning said: “His wife was not there and he had taken advantage of the situation. “He had consumed more than he might normally do on that particular day.”

Mr Glendenning said Mushonga, who holds a Zimbab-wean driving licence and has been in England since July last year, had gone to a nightclub but did nothing more than walk in to see what it was like before leaving.

Mr Glendenning told the court: “His wife is supportive of him. Clearly there were some difficulties but they are reconciled in relation to those particular difficulties.”

Mushonga, who is unemployed and currently being supported by his sister, was given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for two years. He was disqualified from driving for 23 months and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

District judge Joti Bopa-Rai also ordered destruction of the cannabis.