A former serving soldier from Pembroke has been banned from getting behind the wheel of a vehicle for 20 months after admitting a drink-driving offence in court.

Twenty-seven-year-old James Phillips, of South Meadows, appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, charged with driving his Citroen Berlingo with 78 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the prescribed limit.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that Mr. Phillips was stopped by police officers shortly after 3 am on October 22 on Commons Road, as he was driving with no lights on his vehicle.

“Police officers had also been tipped off by door staff at Paddles, who knew that the defendant had been drinking, leaving the club and driving off on his van,” he explained.

“Mr. Phillips has a number of previous convictions on record, but none relating to drink-driving,” added Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

Defence solicitor Katy Hanson told magistrates that her client was extremely remorseful.

“Mr. Phillips rarely goes out and rarely drinks, but he had been invited to go out on this occasion to celebrate the birth of his friend’s baby,” she said.

“My client was in the army for six-and-a-half years, and when he came out he suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder and has found it difficult to find work over the past few years.

“He has recently been offered a job in Llanelli as a mechanical fitter, but now won’t be able to take this work following his driving ban,” continued Ms Hanson.

Magistrates disqualified Mr. Phillips from driving for a period of 20 months and fined him £120 for the offence.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.