A Manorbier man has been banned from getting behind the wheel of his car for 16 months, after admitting a drink-drive offence.

Twenty-eight-year-old Edward Thomas Hamilton, of Wheelers Way, pleaded guilty to driving his iMazda 2500, in Manorbier, whilst over the limit, when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told magistrates that around 3.30 am, on Saturday, May 9, a witness came up behind the defendant's blue pick-up truck, along the main trunk road into Manorbier.

"The defendant's vehicle appeared to have been in some collision, as there was damage and a tyre seemed to be flat," he explained.

"He was swerving in the road, and seen to hit a hedge on three occasions and also the pavement. The witness eventually overtook as Mr. Hamilton was driving at about 25 mph, and reported the matter to the police.

"The vehicle was found at Wheeler's Way by police officers and the defendant admitted that he'd been driving it.

"He said that he'd driven over a rock in the road, causing damage to a front and rear tyre. Mr. Hamilton also explained that he'd drunk some whisky when he'd got home, but admitted that he'd also consumed some alcohol before driving," continued Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

The court heard that the defendant had given a reading of 79 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when tested, but it was accepted that this would have been a reading of around 60 without the whisky he'd consumed.

Mr. Hamilton's solicitor Mark Layton told magistrates that the loss of his client's driving licence would impact on his capacity to work, as he was a self-employed carpenter.

Magistrates disqualified the defendant from driving for 16 months, and fined him £200 for the offence.

He was also ordered to pay a court charge of £150, costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge.