Magistrates advised a drink-driving builder to buy his wife a box of chocolates after banning him from the road for three years.

Ieuan Austin Morris, of Sardis, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, April 17.

The court heard that the 55 year-old self-employed builder’s Citroen Relay was stopped by police on The Close, Johnston, on March 27.

He was found to have 40mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Sian Vaughan, defending, told the bench that Morris had a previous conviction for a similar offence within the last ten years.

Mark Layton, defending, said: “He apologises for the reading, he was just on the limit.”

The chairman of the bench said: “You did a very silly thing. As a self-employed builder you need your licence, and you are going to lose it now for three years. It is not very good for your business I would say.”

Magistrates banned Morris from driving for 36 months and fined him £200.

He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 surcharge.

The chairman added: “Your wife is going to do a lot of driving and taxiing over the next three years, I would buy her a box of chocolates if I were you.”