A motorist who went to pick up friends who had been out for the night was fined and banned from driving by magistrates this week after he admitted driving with excess alcohol.

Forty-one-year-old Nigel Paul Jenkins and two friends had been staying at a caravan in Stepaside whilst looking for work in the area, the court sitting in Tenby heard on Tuesday.

On March 28, Jenkins had been suffering from a stomach upset and had decided not to go with his friends to Kilgetty for the night.

"He did not feel like anything to eat, but drank two cans of alcohol that were in the caravan," defence solicitor, Miss Helen Hodges told the bench.

He later received a telephone call from his friends who were stuck in Kilgetty and he went to pick them up.

Whilst making his way to Kilgetty, Jenkins was stopped by police carrying out a routine check.

"He had not intended to drive that night and with hindsight he should have said no," Miss Hodges added.

When officers spoke to Jenkins, his eyes were glazed and he smelt of intoxicants, crown prosecutor, Mr. Nick Newton said.

A roadside breath test proved positive and Jenkins was arrested and conveyed to Haverfordwest police station where an intoxiliser test showed he was over the drink-drive limit, with 59 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 mg.

Jenkins, of 17 Cwm Glas, Tredegar, was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £100 and ordered to pay £55 costs.