A driver who ploughed into three parked cars said he had no memory of the incident.
Barry Wood banged his head as he left a pub with friends on May 26.
The 55-year-old was helped home and the next thing he remembered was waking up in a police cell, Kirklees magistrates were told.
Wood, of Crest Hill in Brackenhall, was three times over the legal limit when a member of the public flagged down police after witnessing him stumbling as he got into his Vauxhall Astra.
The incident happened on the anniversary of his mother’s death and he was also struggling due to the long prison sentence recently imposed on his son, the Huddersfield court heard.
Prosecutor Vanessa Jones said at 7pm police were on patrol in Cowcliffe when they were stopped by passer by on Netheroyd Hill Road.
She told magistrates: “They pointed out a Vauxhall Astra and said that the male inside seemed to be drunk.
“The member of the public saw him fall as he got into his car and police tried to stop him but he drove away.
“They followed and the vehicle collided with a line of three parked vehicles, all three of them damaged.”
Wood came to a stop and was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving as he appeared unsteady on his feet.
Police station breath tests showed that he had 103 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
This was nearly three times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes and Wood pleaded guilty to driving while over the prescribed limit.
Magistrates were told that he had a previous conviction dating back to October 2005 for drink-driving.
His solicitor Paul Normandale described the past year of his life as “tragic.”
He explained that the anniversary of the death of Wood’s mother was around the time of the accident and his son had been jailed for a substantial term and visiting him in prison was taking its toll on him.
Mr Normandale told magistrates that a few days prior to the offence Wood had his teeth removed and been unable to eat food for five days.
He said: “He went with friends to the local pub and when he came out he fell and banged his head.
“Then he was helped home, lay on the sofa and that’s the last thing he remembers.
“He doesn’t remember going to get his car keys and the first thing he remembers is waking up in a police cell.”
Mr Normandale added that Wood was so concerned about his memory loss after hitting his head that he had made an appointment to see his GP.
Magistrates banned him from driving for 24 months and told him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work as punishment.
