DISGRACED television presenter Alastair Stewart has been banned from driving for two-and-a-half years after Basingstoke magistrates heard how he crashed into a telegraph pole when he was more than three times the drink drive limit.

The court heard the incident has resulted in Stewart losing his job as presenter of the hit ITV programme Police, Camera, Action! - and the justices told him he had narrowly avoided being sent to prison.

Stewart, 50, of Wood Lane, Bramdean, near Winchester, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before the Basingstoke bench yesterday.

The magistrates heard he was arrested at his home on the evening of June 19 after the police had been alerted by a member of the public.

Jan Brooks, prosecuting, said when officers arrived at Stewart's home, they discovered his Mercedes had extensive damage to its front and side.

This damage was consistent to that on a telegraph pole three-quarters of a mile away.

Stewart told the police he had drunk some wine before going to a Chinese takeaway, and admitted he had been involved in an accident.

The father-of-four was breath-alysed at his home and the police station.

The court heard the lower reading was 112 microgram-mes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - more than three times the legal limit of 35.

Rupert Pardoe, defending, said Stewart wanted to convey the "extreme remorse and shame" his actions had brought on his family.

He added the effect had already been profound because the producers of Stewart's ITV show felt that he could no longer continue in his role.

Mr Pardoe said there may have been factors of stress that led to the alcohol being consumed.

He told the justices that Stewart's "extremely stressful existence" fronting the nightly news programme London Tonight had increased earlier this year during the Gulf War, when he was asked to present additional programmes.

This led to a four-day absence from work.

The solicitor said the presenter had "enormous insight" into what happened, and had taken steps to ensure there would be no repetition.

The court heard Stewart had an unblemished driving record of 17 years.

Fining Stewart £2,000 and disqualifying him from driving for 30 months, magistrate Mrs Julia Etheridge said: "You have pleaded guilty to an horrendous act of drink driving and you, of all people, should have realised the potential consequences that could happen."

Stewart was told his disqualification period will be reduced by 25 per cent if he completes a driver rehabilitation course.

Mrs Etheridge added the bench had considered imposing a jail term and warned Stewart he could expect a custodial sentence if he drives while disqualified.