A maintenance man from St. Florence has been handed a lengthy driving ban after being caught behind the wheel of his car over the alcohol limit.

Thirty-five-year-old Matthew Dean Smith, of Woodland Close, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving his Citroen C3 on an unclassified road between Templeton and Yerbeston, after exceeding the prescribed limit, when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Abul Hussain told the court that the defendant was stopped on June 18 by police officers carrying out a routine stop check.

“Officers could smell alcohol on his breath, and Mr. Smith told them he’d had around four pints. After being arrested he provided a reading of 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath at the police station.

“He has one previous conviction for drink driving in 2011,” he added.

Defence solicitor Anthony O’Connell told the court that there was nothing wrong with the manner of Mr. Smith’s driving, it was just a routine stop by police.

“He is a single man who works at the Bluestone resort as a maintenance man. He is extremely remorseful.”

Magistrates disqualified Mr. Smith from driving for a period of 36 months and fined him £300 for the offence.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.