A couple from Pembroke have been fined in court after admitting drink-driving offences during the early hours of New Year’s Day when travelling over the Cleddau Bridge.
Thirty-five-year-old Gareth Alan Clark, of Windsor Road, admitted a charge of driving a vehicle on the A477 trunk road in Pembroke Dock on January 1, after he had exceeded the prescribed limit of alcohol, when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday
His partner, 39-year-old Tara Kathlen Archer, pleaded guilty to being in charge of the vehicle whilst unfit through drink, at the same hearing.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that police officers on routine patrol stopped the vehicle the couple were travelling in shortly after 2 am on the Cleddau Bridge.
“Officers saw the Nissan approaching the toll booths.
“It’s the only day that there are no charges on the bridge, so the barriers were up and there were no lights on in the toll booths, but the driver was seen to stop at the booth and put his hand out to offer money to someone that clearly wasn’t there!” he explained.
“Officers followed the vehicle and pulled it over. The driver, Mr. Clark, who only had a provisional driving licence, gave a reading of 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath after a roadside test, and his partner, Ms Archer, who was in the passenger seat, and therefore the supervising driver in charge, gave a reading of 74,” he explained.
Defence solicitor Mark Layton said that the loss of their licences would have a huge impact on Mr. Clark, who worked as a scaffolder, and hairdresser Ms Archer.
The court heard how Mr. Clark had a previous relevant conviction for drink-driving in 2008.
“Both regret their behaviour and were fully co-operative with the police,” added Mr. Layton.
Magistrates fined Mr. Clark £400 for the offence and disqualified him from driving for 36 months. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £40 victim surcharge.
Ms Archer was fined £65 and her driving licence was endorsed with 10 penalty points. She was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.