Police held a hit-and-run motorist for dangerous and drink driving after being alerted by an AA mechanic who’d been called to a breakdown, a court heard on Friday.

Gary Langford, 62, of Bradley Street, Tipton, in the West Midlands, a general manager for a firm, received an eight months suspended jail term and must do 120 hours unpaid work. An 18 months driving ban with an extended test was imposed at Caernarfon crown court and he must pay £345 costs.

Prosecutor Karl Scholz said Langford’s Isuzu had been involved in a hit-and-run crash with the side of a parked lorry at Brithdir in Gwynedd, in August, leaving a £6,000 repair bill for the lorry. He’d driven “all over the road” at an estimated 80mph.

Mr Scholz said the Isuzu drove on 28 miles to Harlech, from where the AA called police. The defendant had a woman passenger who was bruised and cut.

Another woman had also alerted police because of the way the vehicle had been driven.

Langford’s breath-alcohol count was 55. The legal limit is 35.

Dafydd Roberts, defending, said Langford was sorry. He’d separated from his wife and addressed issues with his mental health.

Judge Huw Rees said it was “bizarre” driving by a man of previous good character. He said Langford had shown genuine remorse.

“At the time matters were not straight in your life. You had marriage difficulties. There’s now an impending divorce,” the judge told him. “This driving mustn’t be repeated.”

Langford admitted dangerous and drink driving and failing to stop after a crash.