George Hankins: Gloucestershire batsman admits drink-driving

George Hankins's lawyer said he had made a "ridiculous decision to drive"

A professional cricketer has been banned from driving for 22 months after damaging four cars and a house in a drink-driving smash.

Gloucestershire batsman George Hankins shunted a parked car into a children's play room in Cobham on 19 April.

Hankins, 23, was also handed a £600 fine at Staines Magistrates' Court after he admitted drink-driving.

Jonny Hauxwell, whose property was damaged in the crash, said: "It's very lucky nobody was hurt."

Prosecutor Marko Brooke said Hankins was found to be more than twice the legal limit when he was arrested on Portsmouth Road shortly after 20:00 BST.

The fire brigade arrived within a couple of minutes, Mr Hauxwell said.

Mr Hauxwell said Hankins initially crashed his Mercedes into two parked cars in his neighbour's drive.

They were shunted into his own two Fords, writing one off and causing £10,000 of damage to the other.

One of the cars was also pushed into his front room, used as a play room, and the other into another part of the house, totalling more than £5,000 of damage.

Mr Hauxwell said it had been "a nightmare" trying to get the damage fixed during lockdown and he hoped Hankins "will learn a lesson from this".

Mr Hauxwell said he and the family heard a loud bang when the cars smashed into the front of their home

Mark Haslam, defending, said Hankins, of Keynsham, Bristol, was highly remorseful.

He said: "We have here a thoroughly decent, capable and well-regarded young man who made a quite ridiculous decision to drive."

Hankins was staying in Surrey during lockdown and had gone out to collect hay fever tablets from a nearby garage, the court heard.

He will not lose his job with Gloucestershire CCC, and the 22-month ban can be reduced by 22 weeks if he completes a rehabilitation course.