A teenager from Whitland has been handed a lengthy motoring ban after being caught in her car with over twice the drink-drive limit.

Nineteen-year-old Seren Gwenllian Evans, of Cwmbach, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, after being charged with driving her Suzuki Alto in a public place, after exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that police officers spoke to the defendant at around 4 am on June 10, at the Bristol Trader car park on Quay Street in Haverfordwest heading to her vehicle.

“Appearing to be clearly over the limit, she told officers that she wasn’t going to drive her car, but was simply collecting some items and was going to walk to a taxi rank. Shortly after, though, officers saw the defendant driving her car into a space and then turning the engine off.

Miss Evans was arrested and at the police station gave a reading of 77 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, just over twice the legal limit.

Defence solicitor Ashanti-Jade Walton told magistrates that her client, who had begun studying criminology in Swansea, was remorseful for her actions.

“She had gone out with friends that night and went back to her car with the intention of retrieving her bags from inside. In her intoxicated state, Miss Evans decided to move her vehicle to a more open space to stop her from getting blocked in the next morning.

“She is extremely ashamed and embarrassed to be in court. Miss Evans is a young woman who has made a mistake and is remorseful for it,” she added.

Magistrates disqualified the defendant from driving for 20 months and fined her £120 for the offence.

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