A Kilgetty man who stopped off for a ‘couple of pints’ on his way home has been banned from getting behind the wheel of a vehicle for 17 months after pleading guilty to a drink-drive charge in court.

Fifty-year-old Alan Anthony Dowler, of Kingsmoor Road, admitted a charge of driving his Toyota Corolla car, on the B4316 in Saundersfoot, after exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol, when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that police officers on routine patrol driving around the Whitlow Estate in Saundersfoot, on November 27, at around 7.30 pm, had seen the defendant driving from the righthand side, accelerate quickly, and stray over the white line of the road.

“Officers followed Mr. Dowler to speak to him about the manner of his driving. He failed a roadside test, and the reading he gave at the police station after being arrested was 69 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath, which is twice the limit,” explained Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher told magistrates that this had been a ‘terrible mistake’ by his client.

“Mr. Dowler had stopped for a couple of beers on the way home, and had no idea he would be over the limit.

“He’s a working man and is hoping to keep his job, but it involves a large amount of travelling, so he will have to rely on public transport,” added Mr. Kelleher.

Magistrates disqualified Mr. Dowler from driving for 17 months, before fining him £320 for the offence.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £32 victim surcharge.