A JOHNSTON man has been banned from driving after he drove into the wall of a house while over the drink-drive limit.

John McMichael, aged 31, of Glebelands, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, December 3.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of driving whilst over the limit, and to another charge of possession of one gram of cannabis.

Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said: “Shortly after 8pm in the evening, this young man, who told police he had had four pints, was driving home and for no apparent reason crashed into the wall of a house.

“He can’t have been going very fast as there was no damage caused to the wall but there was some to the vehicle.

“He remained at the scene and when police attended he provided a positive sample of 67 which is twice the limit.

“When he was searched at the station the officers found the cannabis. In his interview he accepted he had had four pints and said that the cannabis was for his own use. He is fortunate that no one else was involved.”

Defending, Jonathan Webb said: “He had been to the pub, had four pints and stupidly chose to drive home. On his way he swerved to avoid an animal and that is how he hit the house.

“He could simply have driven off, he didn’t do that and he acted entirely appropriately. He made admissions in interview and has given an early guilty plea.”

The Chairman of the bench said: “This is a very silly thing you’ve done. You have been out of trouble since 2015 and we hope this is a little blip and that you stay on the straight and narrow.”

McMichael was banned from driving for 17 months but was offered the chance to take the drink-drive course.

He was also fined £120 for the offence and will also have to pay £85 in court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

No separate penalty was given for the possession of the cannabis and Magistrates ordered that the drugs be destroyed.