A MAN was so drunk he almost ran over a police officer who tried to stop him driving the wrong way down a one-way street.

Stanley Perry was seen by police driving a Toyota Hiace the wrong way down the street in broad daylight.

A police officer stood in the road to signal for the 48-year-old to stop but had to jump clear when Perry drove straight at him.

Perry had to brake farther up the road when he came bumper to bumper with a car going the right way.

Then, when the officer caught up with him and opened the car door, Perry was so drunk he fell into the road.

He was breathalysed in Norman Road, St Leonards, at 9.20am on December 11 last year.

Superintendent Jane Derrick, the head of roads policing in Sussex and Surrey, said: “The fact that he could not see an officer standing in front of him and that he fell out of the car show how utterly unfit he was to drive.

“He didn't even have insurance or a licence - being a responsible driver is not only about not driving while under the influence of drink or drugs but also ensuring you are insured, your vehicle has an MOT and you have the correct driving licence.”

Perry was found to have 123 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of his breath when tested - more than three times the 35 microgrammes legal limit. He said he had not tried to run down the police officer but had been so drunk he had not seen him.

Perry, of Larchfield Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to drink-driving, failing to stop for an officer, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, ignoring a no-entry sign and taking a vehicle without consent when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates' Court on January 28.

He was banned from driving for three years, given a 24-month suspended prison sentence and told to do 250 hours of community service.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £80 victim surcharge.

He had already served a ban for drink-driving in 1993.

Supt Derrick added: “Too often people believe that they will not get caught, that crashes won't happen to them or that the law doesn't include them.

“Drink-driving is totally unacceptable and we will continue to look for and arrest motorists who continue to selfishly put road users in danger by getting behing the wheel while over the limit.”

A total of 50 people have so far been convicted after being arrested as part of Operation Dragonfly, Sussex Police's December drink and drug-driving crackdown.

Trevor Stracey was arrested at 8.15pm on December 1 at Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, after a fellow customer in a pub called police to report that the 65-year-old had driven off after drinking for several hours.

Stracey, of Tarring Road, Worthing, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court on February 2.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £110 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Saul Livingstone, 42, was arrested at 11.25pm on December 9 after officers stopped his car in Old Shoreham Road, Hove.

Livingstone, of Elm Drive, Hove, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a vehicle, driving without a licence and driving without insurance when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court on February 4.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, made the subject of a court order and ordered to pay a £100 fine, £50 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Richard Rose, 32, was arrested at 8.50am on December 14 after he was stopped at a drink-driving check in Wallsend Road, Pevensey.

Rose, of St Andrews Road, Bexhill, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates' Court on January 28.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, made the subject of a court order and ordered to pay a £500 fine, £85 costs and a £50 victim surcharge.

Sam Fitzgerald, 26, was arrested at 2.10am on December 12 in Elphick Road, Newhaven, after police were told about a damaged vehicle being driven in the town.

Fitzgerald, of Lewes Road, Newhaven, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court on February 4.

He was banned from driving for 24 months, made the subject of a 12-week curfew and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs call 999.