A BUILDER who crashed his Ford Focus into a Volkswagen Caddy van, fled and feigned shock to police, has been sentenced.

Michael Knight, of East Cowes Road, East Cowes, crashed into a telegraph pole and then the parked van on March 2.

Knight, who was found to be over the drink and drug drive limits and without insurance, fled the scene, in East Cowes Road, and went straight home.

At an earlier hearing, he admitted to failing to stop after an accident, drug driving, drink driving and driving without insurance.

Read more: Isle of Wight drink and drug driver crashed and fled scene

He appeared at Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on November 1 for sentencing.

Giles Fletcher, prosecuting, said witnesses heard "a loud screech" and saw the Ford collide with the telegraph pole, before crashing into the van, causing major front-end damage.

Two males were reportedly seen fleeing the scene.

When police arrived at Knight's house, he feigned shock and denied involvement in the crash.

However, householders told police he had been out driving.

Knight, 32, was arrested and later admitted to being the driver, telling officers he ran away and initially denied involvement and blamed another person for the crash, because he was "worried and scared."

Following his arrest, Knight provided a drink-drive blood sample which showed he was over the limit.

Read more: Isle of Wight driver crashed Ford car into bus in Sandown

He was also found to be more than three times the drug-drive limit for cocaine metabolite BZE.

Knight was subject to a community order at the time of the crash, which he had not "engaged well with".

He had caused "significant" damage in the crash, but "fortunately, no one was caused serious injury," Mr Fletcher commented.

Knight has a record of 17 convictions for 22 offences, including drink driving in 2009 and 2011, and taking a vehicle without consent last year.

Oscar Vincent, defending, said Knight accepted his wrongdoing and wished to apologise to the van's owner.

Mr Vincent explained: "When he ran away from the scene, it was because he panicked, but soon thought better of it."

Presiding magistrate David Wilson told Knight his driving standards were at "an unacceptable level."

He was handed an eight-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a 30-month driving ban, £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.