A drunken Cardigan man, drove away in a builder’s van and crashed while more than three times the legal limit, a court heard last week.

Edward Charles John Goodliffe, aged 34, of 2 Brynteifi, appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving while over the drink drive limit, without insurance, while disqualified on December 15.

The court heard that a builder had parked in St Dogmaels while he worked on a local chapel. A man was spotted hanging round the van smoking a cigarette at around 3pm.

He was then seen driving the van down the street before crashing into a fence on the Aberystwyth road.

Witnesses saw the driver trying to get out of the vehicle, which was stuck on a rock by the roadside.

Dennis Davies, prosecuting, told the court that police were called by witnesses who could smell alcohol on the driver once he got out of the vehicle.

He was arrested and found to have 112mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Alan Lewis, defending, said his client had previous convictions for a similar offence, and was seeking help for alcohol difficulties which he had suffered for the past 14 years.

Mr Lewis said: “He had received a distressing telephone call on the day in question from a friend in Aberystwyth. He had been drinking when he took the call and saw the keys in the van. He started to drive to Aberystwyth and had an accident on the way.”

He added that Goodliffe had consumed a bottle of vodka on the day of the offence and was genuinely remorseful for his actions.

He said: “This is a young man ravaged by an alcohol problem. He wants to rid himself of this problem and abstain. He needs professional help."

Following a probation report, magistrates imposed two concurrent 12 week prison sentences, suspended for 18 months, and ordered Goodliffe to complete a drink impaired driver’s programme and alcohol activity.

He was also fined £100, and ordered to pay £85 costs, an £80 victim surcharge, and disqualified from driving for 48 months.

The presiding magistrate said: “You have pleaded guilty to four very serious offences. You can consider yourself lucky you are not going to prison today.”