A young footballer has been fined and banned from driving after he was caught behind the wheel after having post-match drinks.

Liam Jones, 25, was on his way home at around 3am on March 20 after stopping at McDonalds on the outskirts of Welshpool with his friend.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard that when police officers approached Jones' Ford Fiesta they could smell alcohol and he had glazed eyes.

Jones, of St Martins in Shropshire, has been banned from driving for 17 months and fined £450 after he admitted drink driving in court on Tuesday, April 5.

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Helen Tench, prosecuting, said the Ford Focus caught police officers' attention when it was "paused for long periods of time" near the Buttington Cross. The officers then saw the front seat passenger walk to the driver's door and then the vehicle headed towards Oswestry. After officers questioned Jones at the roadside, the 25-year-old "tentatively" replied that he’d drank. The court was told Jones had no previous convictions.

Robert Hanratty, defending, said Jones - who is part of the committee that runs his football team - was "obviously devastated" to find himself in court charged with the offence.

"He was playing football in the north of the county and arrangements were made to have his car driven by a friend," he said. "The defendant believes alcohol was drunk many hours before and was still in his system. He hadn’t consumed alcohol for best part of two hours.

"His friend stopped at the junction and having seen police vehicles parked opposite, he got out of driver's seat parked adjacent to the roundabout and the defendant foolishly decided to drive to the layby on the straight.

"He was chancing his luck. He knew he had consumed alcohol but he had no intention of driving it further than that point.

"He’s a genuine man who's involved in the community. He works with a statutory undertaker and has good career prospects. A friend has written a testimonial that describes him as a highly respected individual who does lots for others.

"There were no other vehicles on the road whatsoever. He believed he was acting responsibly."

Magistrates' also ordered Jones, of Cherry Tree Drive, St Martins, to pay £85 court costs and a £45 victim surcharge. He was offered to take attend a drink drive rehabilitation course.