A drunk driver hit a grass embankment on a dual carriageway and tipped his vehicle onto its side while performing a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre. He tried to leave before the police arrived but later told officers: "Just arrest me – we all know I'm p*****."

Ian Messenger, 40, crashed while driving on the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road between Glynneath and Hirwaun on June 25. The collision was caught on the dashcam footage of a witness after the defendant was driving at speed in the outside lane. A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard that at around 8.46pm Messenger's blue Ford Fiesta swerved towards the central reservation and in an attempt to correct the oversteer veered into inside lane, causing the witness to brake hard.

The defendant came off the road and collided into the grass embankment and into trees causing the vehicle to turn onto its right side. As members of the public came to assist Messenger he was described as being "abusive" and when told he couldn't leave until the police arrived he responded: "F*** off b**** – I don't want police here". He was described as "stumbling" up the road, was "clearly drunk", and was slurring his words while bottles and cans were found in his car.

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Prosecutor Jac Brown said Messenger was stopped on the grass embankment by members of the public and police attended and arrested him. He told an officer: "Just arrest me – we all know I'm p*****". When tested he was found to be more than twice the legal drink-drive limit with a reading of 80µg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

When interviewed the defendant claimed he had a phone call from his father who was locked out of his house. He said he had been drinking since 12pm and had had between six and seven cans of Carling and thought he would be "fine" to drive.

Messenger, of Llewellyn Street, Neath, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol. The latter count is to be dealt with at the magistrates' court. The defendant has one previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol.

In mitigation Ross McQuillan-Johnson said his client's previous conviction was more than 23 years old and committed when he was a juvenile. He said the defendant had been in employment since the age of 16 and was a rugby coach for an under-sevens team. The barrister said the defendant's wife was in ill health and he was providing financial and childcare support.

Sentencing, Judge Lucy Crowther said: "It's absolutely remarkable you weren't very seriously injured and it's also remarkable you didn't seriously injure other people or kill them." She acknowledged the defendant had substantially cut his drinking and had worked hard for many years.

Messenger was sentenced to a two-year community order and was made subject to a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement while he must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £420 costs. He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

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