Lottery millionaire, 58, is banned from driving after crashing new Mercedes bought with his £1.2m winnings into a bridge after a booze-fuelled day out
Britain's biggest ever Postcode Lottery winner has been banned from driving after crashing the new Mercedes he bought with his £1.2million winnings into a bridge after a booze-fuelled day out.
Lottery millionaire Kevin Jones, 58, had drunk five cans of cider when he lost control and crashed through a bridge into a stream near the Welsh village of Llanbadarn Fynydd.
The top-of-the range Mercedes, bought with his £1.2m winnings, alerted police to the accident through its collision detection system.
Officers found the father-of-three slurring his words and a breath test proved positive.
Jones became the Postcode Lottery's biggest ever winner in January when he won £1,210,914 after buying three tickets.
![Lottery millionaire Kevin Jones, 58, pictured with his old car before he splashed out on a Mercedes](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/19/20/86332657-0-image-a-3_1718824015585.jpg)
Lottery millionaire Kevin Jones, 58, pictured with his old car before he splashed out on a Mercedes
![Jones became the Postcode Lottery's biggest ever winner in January when he won £1,210,914 after buying three tickets](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/19/20/86332659-0-image-a-4_1718824018822.jpg)
Jones became the Postcode Lottery's biggest ever winner in January when he won £1,210,914 after buying three tickets
Magistrates heard he has retired since scooping the jackpot and lives on his investments giving him a 'significant' weekly income.
Jones was giving his adult daughter a lift believing he was fine to drive after drinking dark fruits cider earlier in the day.
Prosecutor James Sprunks said the car alerted police to the accident on the A483 near the village of Llanbadarn Fynydd.
He said: 'Police received a Telematrix call from the car talking to the police station regarding an accident.
'An officer who was first on the scene spoke to the defendant who was the owner of the Mercedes.
'There was an adult female passenger and the car had ended up in a river following a sharp offside bend.
'The defendant was unsteady on his feet and was slurring his words; the officer formed the opinion he was under the influence.
'A breath test was positive and he was arrested.'
Jones, of Llandrindod Wells, Powys, admitted drink driving and was banned from driving for 14 months. His breath test was 55 micrograms - the legal limit is 35.
Huw Williams, defending, said 'ashamed and embarrassed' Jones was driving his daughter home to Llandrindod Wells at about 5.30pm when the car went through railings and landed in a brook.
![Jones (pictured winning) claimed he was getting used to a new set of tyres on the Mercedes and lost control of the back end of the car which slid towards the bridge](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/19/20/86332661-0-image-a-2_1718824010241.jpg)
Jones (pictured winning) claimed he was getting used to a new set of tyres on the Mercedes and lost control of the back end of the car which slid towards the bridge
Mr Williams said: 'He told officers he had drunk about 4-5 cans of dark fruits cider earlier that day, between 11am-12pm.
'He rarely drinks but had a few that morning. He honestly didn't think he'd be over the limit.'
Jones claimed he was getting used to a new set of tyres on the Mercedes and lost control of the back end of the car which slid towards the bridge.
Mr Williams added: 'He couldn't correct it and crashed through barriers and into the brook. He suffered a slight concussion.
'He cooperated with the police and told them: 'I'm very sorry and thank you for doing a good job'.
The court heard the millionaire had tried to compensate the owner of the damaged bridge railings.
Jones had 12 previous convictions for 20 offences, including a number of road traffic offences, with the last in 1995.
He was fined £440 and told to pay a £176 surcharge and £85 costs – Jones said he would pay the full amount within 28 days.
As he left the dock he told Llandrindod Wells magistrates: 'I'd just like to say thank you and I'm genuinely very sorry.'
When he won the lottery earlier this year Jones said he planned to buy a new car and go on a Caribbean cruise.