Christmas Day drinks led to Boxing Day crash

Merion Watkins, 51, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates last week.

A charge of littering by leaving empty beer cans on the A478 was dismissed by the court.

The court heard that police received a report about a car blocking the road at Blaenffos, following a single vehicle collision in the early hours of December 26.

Officers who attended the scene at 2.30am found Watkins unsteady on his feet, slurring his speech and smelling of alcohol.

He was arrested and later found to have 78mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

In interview, Watkins stated he had lost control of the Vauxhall Astra, which had veered across the road.

He told officers he had earlier downed four pints.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said: “Aggravating factors are that he was twice the limit and there was accident. 

"He stayed with the vehicle and didn’t try to evade liability.”

Alan Lewis, defending, told the bench that Watkins had waited with the car to flag down the next passing motorist after the collision, and asked them to telephone the police.

He added: “He had been out for lunch for Christmas day. For personal reasons Christmas was particularly difficult for him this year, and he knew he would be spending the rest of the day alone.

“He went to the pub, but thought that he would be ok to drive. 

"He is very remorseful.”

Mr Lewis added that losing his licence would make life difficult for Watkins, who lived in a rural area, with little public transport, and had mobility problems.

He had also been assisting an elderly Fishguard woman every week, which would be difficult without transport.

“He is very disappointed that he has let himself down, and let her down, by drink driving that evening,” Mr Lewis said.

Magistrates fined Watkins £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 surcharge.

He was disqualified from driving for 18 months.