A female motorist from Narberth who failed to provide a specimen for analysis to police when suspected of drink-driving has been disqualified from getting behind the wheel of a vehicle for three years.
Fifty-one-year-old Kim Harden, of Llanddewi Velfrey, pleaded guilty to the charge when she appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that Ms Harden was stopped in her vehicle on January 6, at 8.30 pm, between Summerhill and Ludchurch, after a police officer following her noticed that she was not holding a steady course along the road.
“She was pulled over and the officer could smell intoxicants on her. Asked if she had been drinking, she said one or two.
“She made a few attempts to give a roadside test, but was arrested after failing to provide a sample.
“At the police station, Ms Harden was coughing a lot and said that she had a cold and asthma. Officers accepted that she did not have sufficient breath to provide a sample, and requested a urine sample, but she failed to provide these. Ms Harden has a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol,” he added.
Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher told the court that this was not a deliberate failure to provide a sample.
“There was pressure to provide a sample and she was not feeling her best and was simply unable to provide one,” he said.
Magistrates disqualified Ms Harden from driving for three years and fined her £120 for the offence.
She was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.