A WELL-KNOWN flower seller on York’s Newgate Market who crashed his car into a house has been told he could go to jail, despite an appeal for leniency from local people including the property’s landlord.

Andrew James Hall, whose family business Wigginton Road Nurseries has pride of place at the front of the market, pleaded guilty at York Magistrates Court to driving while unfit through drink and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

The court heard Hall, 35, of Kirkcroft, Wigginton, had driven his car into 15 Moor Lane, in Haxby on April 11, waking the tenant who was sleeping upstairs.

The tenant came downstairs to find the car in the front bedroom and saw Hall quickly walking away, the court was told.

Police met Hall as he was arriving at his home address and he told them he had just crashed the car and he was going home to call the police.

He had more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

Lee-Anne Robins-Hicks, for the defendant, asked the court not to consider a custodial option as a possible sentence.

She said Hall had been drinking at a friend’s birthday party in a local pub and intended to get a taxi home.

Hall had thought the house was vacant because it had a “To Let” sign outside, so he went home to contact the police.

Jacob Verhoef, the landlord of the damaged property, submitted a character reference in which he spoke in “glowing” terms of the defendant, the court heard.

Paul Barrett, York City Council’s city centre manager, and other market traders, also submitted character references.

But chairman of the magistrates, Mr J Smith, said: “We have read the letters that have been put in in your favour.

“However, there was an extremely high reading of alcohol in your blood and you crashed into someone’s house.

“Had there been anyone in the room, anything could have happened.”

He ordered a pre-sentencing report to be prepared considering all options.

He said: “That will include the option of sending you to prison.”

Hall was released on unconditional bail until May 17 and is subject to an interim driving ban.