A painter and decorator who had one too many drinks in a pub before driving has been handed a lengthy motoring ban.

Forty-one-year-old Joseph Williamson, of Gray Avenue, Manorbier, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday to admit driving his Fiat Doblo after exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to driving otherwise in accordance with a licence; and driving without third party insurance.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that at 7.15 pm on November 22, police received an anonymous phone call to say that Mr. Williamson was drinking in the Alma public house in Pembroke Dock and that they had reason to believe that he was going to drive away from the premises over the limit.

“Police identified the vehicle in the pub’s car park initially with nobody in it, before they drove around and returned to see Mr. Williamson enter and drive off.

“They followed and when they spoke to the driver he appeared under the influence, and smelt of intoxicants.

“Mr. Williamson’s eyes were red and glazed and his speech was slightly slurred.

“He admitted that he had only just finished a pint, so officers waited 20 minutes before conducting a roadside sample,” he continued.

The court heard that Mr. Williamson gave a reading of 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when at the police station.

Defence solicitor David Elvy told the court that the defendant was a self-employed painter decorator who only had a provisional driver’s licence, and usually had somebody else drive him.

“He had gone to the pub with an employee, so it was his intention for him to drive, but the employee ended up drinking quite a bit more!

“It was a grave error on the defendant’s behalf. He is concerned about what happens from here on as it is a quiet time for work, and he knows things are going to be tight financially,” he added.

Magistrates disqualified Mr. Williamson from driving for 17 months and fined him £400 for the drink-driving offence, and a further £400 for having no insurance.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £40 victim surcharge.