A DRINK-DRIVER who smashed through two walls and into a house walked free from court - despite being told by a judge: "You could have killed someone."

Darren Burgess was almost three times the legal alcohol limit when he crashed in Hartlepool and had little memory of the late-night drama last December.

The 22-year-old former soldier fled from the scene leaving his wrecked Renault Megane balancing on one of the walls, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor David Crook said debris was scattered in front of two houses in Clavering Road and damage was caused to a door and window of one property.

Burgess was arrested nearby and when he gave a sample at a police station, he had 222mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood - the legal limit is 80mg, said Mr Crook.

The court heard that Burgess, who is receiving help for mental health problems linked to a tour of Afghanistan, was prosecuted for drink-driving in 2008.

His barrister, Ian Mullarkey, said he was unfit to do unpaid work, but told the judge: "A curfew would restrict his social life and will be a constant reminder."

Burgess, of Annandale Crescent, Hartlepool, admitted charges of dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and falling to stop at the scene of an accident.

He was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with Probation Service supervision and a four-month curfew between 8pm and 5am.

Recorder Mark McKone also banned him from the roads for three years after telling him: "This really is your last chance as far as driving is concerned.

"You could have killed someone or disabled someone. If you had killed someone with this amount of drink in you, you would be looking at a sentence of ten years or more."