Wormegay man who crashed into woman’s car at Swaffham traffic lights drank four beers and vodka before driving

A drink-driver who “came out of nowhere” at a set of traffic lights in Swaffham crashed into a woman’s vehicle, leaving her with significant injuries.

Robert McAdam, 28, of Castle Road in Wormegay, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where he admitted to drink-driving as well as driving without due care and attention.

Prosecutor Sally Harris said that on March 9 at around 11pm, a woman was pulling out from a set of traffic lights on Mangate Street in Swaffham when she saw a car come from “out of nowhere” and hit her vehicle with a loud bang.

The victim remembers the airbags coming up in the car and that she sat there in “complete shock”.

Members of the public came to see if the woman was okay and the emergency services were called.

Both drivers were taken to hospital, and the woman suffered from internal bruising and sciatica as a result of the crash.

Ms Harris said: “She has a young child and she can’t pick them up, she can’t go to work either.”

In police interview, McAdam admitted to drinking four beers and a third of a bottle of vodka before getting behind the wheel.

A blood test was carried out on McAdam which came back with a reading of 158mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, the legal limit to drive is 80mg.

In mitigation, Andrew Cogan said that McAdam has “zero recollection” of what happened that evening.

“He can’t say why he was on the road. His last recollection he has is going outside for a cigarette,” said Mr Cogan.

The solicitor added that McAdam was feeling “lonely” at the time and had probably decided to drive to see family and friends to “seek comfort”.

Magistrates disqualified McAdam from driving for 22 months and fined him a total of £200.

He will also pay a victim surcharge of £80 and court costs of £50.