Man on 40th birthday getaway crashed Mercedes on Powys road

Ashley Griffiths had been to a pub where he had "more to drink than he usually would".

He later drove a Mercedes on Bridge Street in Llanfair Caereinion, which crashed head-on at low speed into an oncoming Vauxhall Mokka.

Due to the positioning of the vehicles after the crash, the elderly woman driving the Vauxhall was unable to free herself, and firefighters had to be called.

At Welshpool Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday, May 12), Griffiths pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, told the court: "They collided driver's side to driver's side, which meant the elderly female in the Vauxhall became trapped. The fire service was dispatched and they said the driver appeared to be intoxicated on their arrival."

Ms Tench added that alcohol could be smelled on Griffiths, who was said to be swaying from side to side.

Two blood samples showed Griffiths had 101 and 105 milligrams, respectively, of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80mg/l.

Rob Hanratty, defending, explained that Griffiths was a self-employed plumber and having a driving licence is an "essential" part of his job.

He added: "Losing his licence would have a serious impact on his ability to get to jobs and would likely end up in him losing his job.

"It was a foolish mistake. He was going very slowly, the vehicles were just touching, it was a very minor collision."

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Julian Davies, for the Probation Service, said Griffiths and his family had been to Barmouth for the day before returning to a caravan they were staying at.

He continued: "He decided to go and pick up some meat from the butchers and a drink in the public house. He consumed more alcohol than he normally would have.

"He tried to get a taxi, but couldn't, and made what he calls a 'stupid decision' to drive back.

"He says it is the 'worst decision he has ever made' and one he deeply regrets."

Magistrates banned Griffiths, of Bushbury Lane in Wolverhampton, from driving for 25 months, but he can reduce this by 25 weeks if he completes the drink-driving awareness course.

He was also handed a 12-month community order and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

And he must pay £85 court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.