A Cardigan man will spend Christmas in jail after breaching a suspended sentence.

David James Everett, aged 43, of Flat 3, 6 Pendre, admitted the breach when he appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Wednesday.

The court heard that Everett was arrested on December 15 after the probation service stated he had failed to attend a number of the required supervision appointments.

Magistrates had imposed a 16 week sentence, suspended for 12 months, in August after convicting Everett of driving with excess alcohol and aggravated taking a vehicle without consent, which resulted in damage to another vehicle.

Janan Jones, defending, said: “This is a particularly sad case. It emanates from excess alcohol which affects not only what he has done and this offence, but the whole of his life.

“Is prison the place for this man who desperately needs assistance? He is aware now that this is crunch time.”

Miss Jones added that her client suffered from liver failure and bi polar disorder.

“He says he does not know what to do with himself. If he goes to prison he would go quite mad with the abstinence.”

The presiding magistrate said: “We find you have not engaged at all. This is a serious case and you pose a danger to everybody.

“You have failed to comply at all and we have no option today but to activate this suspended sentence in full.

"We as magistrates have a duty to protect the public.”