Cardigan solicitor Alan Lewis standing in for Carmarthen solicitor Aled Owen on behalf of three defendants at Cardigan Courthouse on Thursday said Mr. Owen turned around three miles away at Llechryd and went back to Carmarthen because of the road conditions.

It brought a swift retort from presiding magistrate Alun Thomas who said "From Llechryd to Cardigan is not one of my worst journeys.

"If he had come as far as Llechryd I don’t see why he could not have come the whole way," he said.