A Renault Clio crashed and rolled when a disqualified driver got behind the wheel a month before the end of a lengthy ban.

Gareth James Partington, of Howarth Close, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without third party insurance when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, May 8.

Sian Vaughan, prosecuting, told the court that police received a call about a single vehicle collision on the A477 at Jordanston at 7.20pm on April 18.

Officers arrived on the scene to find a badly damaged Renault Clio on a grass verge and Partington being treated by paramedics nearby.

Partington, 35, stated that he had lost control of the car while negotiating a right-hand turn, before it rolled and came to a halt on the verge.

Checks revealed he had been disqualified from driving for 40 months, as a result of a drink-driving conviction, and did not have insurance to drive the vehicle.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said: “Simply put, Mr Partington was very, very foolish. He decided 39 months into a 40 month ban to drive a vehicle.

“He was driving a short distance to see a friend, there was no need for him to do so. He very foolishly thought he could step into a car and drive again.”

Mr Webb added that Partington’s driving skills had diminished during his ban, which contributed to the crash while he was driving his girlfriend’s car.

Magistrates disqualified Partington from driving for a further nine months and imposed a 12 month community order with a 15 day rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £170 in costs and a surcharge.