A ST Ives man who died after losing control of his car and crashing into a tree had been four times over the legal drink-drive limit and travelling at about 100mph, an inquest was told. Lee Dawson, 30, of Albermale Road, died on September 18 after the blu

A ST Ives man who died after losing control of his car and crashing into a tree had been four times over the legal drink-drive limit and travelling at about 100mph, an inquest was told.

Lee Dawson, 30, of Albermale Road, died on September 18 after the blue Toyota Corolla he was driving clipped a lorry on the A1123 at Houghton Hill.

The car veered off the road and crashed just minutes from Mr Dawson's home.

He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident and a post-mortem examination revealed he had died from multiple injuries. The lorry driver was uninjured.

At the inquest held in Huntingdon on Thursday (November 29), the coroner was told that Mr Dawson had been seen by a witness travelling at an estimated speed of 100mph.

Robert Tarling, also of St Ives, had been driving along the A1123 at the time of the crash.

He told the inquest: "A blue car appeared on the corner in front of us. I said to my wife 'look at that idiot'. I have never seen a car travel that fast before. It was being driven at ridiculous speed."

The inquest also heard how Mr Dawson had struggled with an alcohol addiction and prior to the crash had purchased a bottle of wine from a shop in St Ives.

Coroner David Morris said: "He had been suffering from stress and had a drink problem." He added that, tragically, Mr Dawson had "not been able to break the habit".

His parents, Sue and Peter Dawson, described their son as a "likeable rogue" who was "a pleasure to have at home". They added he had developed a drink problem after he and his long-term girlfriend had lost their unborn baby at five months in April 2002.

Mr Dawson said his son "had a real battle with the bottle".

Mr Morris added: "He [Lee Dawson] was entirely the author of his own misfortune." He delivered a verdict that Lee Dawson had "died when he lost control of his vehicle at high speed".