A DRINK-DRIVER crashed his car, before fleeing barefoot across fields in freezing temperatures in a desperate bid to get away from the scene.

Henry McKeever, 26, in his Volkswagen Golf ploughed into the rear of an Alfa Romeo 159 on the A23 at Pyecombe, before fleeing the scene barefoot and in torn jeans through the countryside.

He was spotted by police at the BP petrol station in Mill Road covered in mud, cuts and grazes. McKeever was just about to leave in a taxi, before he was arrested around 2.45 am on December 9.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court, McKeever, unemployed, of no fixed address, was disqualified from driving for 23 months and sentenced to a 12 month community order.

He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs.

McKeever is among 46 people, including a solicitor and accountant, so far convicted as part of Surrey and Sussex Police’s Christmas crackdown on drink and drug-drivers.

A total of 195 arrests were made during the campaign, which ran from 1 December to January 1.

Here are the convicted.

Susan Elder, 52, a solicitor of Harbour Way, Shoreham, arrested in Harbour Way, Shoreham, on 16 December and charged with driving with 79mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system. At Worthing Magistrates’ Court on 2 January, she was disqualified from driving for 17 months. She was also ordered to pay a £300 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Natalie Smith, 22, an accountant, of Hythe Road, Worthing, was arrested in Brighton Road, Lancing, on 9 December and charged with driving with 50mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system. At Worthing Magistrates’ Court on 29 December, she was disqualified from driving for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay a £265 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Raymond O’Neill, 59, a postal employee, of Wish Road, Hove, was arrested in Wish Road, Hove, on 12 December 12 December and charged with driving with 73mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system. At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 28 December, he was disqualified from driving for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay a £350 fine, £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

Ramona Tutulea-Ciobanu, 30, a cleaner, of Farncombe Road, Worthing, was arrested in Marine Drive, Brighton, on 9 December and charged. At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 28 December, she was disqualified from driving for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay a £186 fine, £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.