A BRIGHTON University student has been banned from the roads after he spent the night drinking vodka and crashed into a tree.

Danial Mohammadi, 23, emerged from his Renault Megane slurring and staggering after driving from a party on New Year’s Day.

Brighton Magistrates heard the biomedical science student was nearly twice the limit when he almost struck a car coming in the opposite direction in Fox Way, Portslade, on January 1.

Another driver saw Mohammadi travelling in convoy with a car in front before he pulled out on to the other side of the road.

He then swerved into a tree.

Police were called at around 3am and found Mohammadi being detained by an off-duty police officer.

Martina Sherlock, prosecuting, told the court: “The defendant was drunkenly slurring and he was staggering.

“He was heard saying his anti-lock braking system had failed and he was limping with a leg injury.

“An off-duty police officer detained him until on-duty police arrived.

“He was taken into custody and blew 63mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.”

The legal limit is 35.

In interview the student gave a lengthy account and admitted to being the driver of the Renault.

He said he had been at house party since 11pm where he was drinking vodka shots. But his brother misplaced his keys and so he went to Hangleton to pick up a set.

He claimed his brakes were not effective and so he pulled out in the opposite lane to avoid a crash.

He said his leg injury had happened in a previous accident.

Mohammadi, of St Aubyns, Hove, pleaded guilty to drink driving.

Chairman of magistrates Ian Stuart disqualified him from driving for 17 months.

He was also made to pay a £215 fine, £85 costs and £25 victim surcharge.

Mohammadi asked if his conviction would stop him applying for a graduate medicine course to become a doctor.

He will not be able to drive until February 18, 2019.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug-driving, or visit the Operation Crackdown website.

If you know someone is driving while over the limit or under the influence of drugs, call 999.