Smoking cannabis came back to haunt a Pembroke Dock man after he got his life back on track after a house fire.

Matthew John Fry of Hamilton Court, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to driving while over the controlled drug limit when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, March 12.

Abul Hussain, prosecuting, told the court that police could smell cannabis coming from a Renault Clio which they had stopped at 10am on October 30 in Pembroke Dock.

The vehicle was searched and Fry told officers he had smoked cannabis the previous night when he provided a positive roadside drug-test.

Mike Kelleher, defending, said Fry, 36, had stopped using drugs completely since the offence, and had found work away from the area.

“In the meantime, unfortunately, his residence in this area was destroyed by fire, all his tools of his trade were inside.”

The court heard that Fry had managed to replace his tools and get his van on the road to continue working on ventilation systems.

Mr Kelleher said: “Some months later this has come back to haunt him.

“He feels absolutely at his wits-end that having made all these changes to his life, and getting a steady job, all that will now be lost because of his stupidity at that time.”

He added: “This has really knocked him now because he has lost his job.”

Magistrates fined Fry £120 and ordered him to pay £85 court cost and a £30 surcharge.

He was banned from driving for 12 months.

The chairman of the bench said: “Well done with turning your life around since then, but our hands are tied by our guidelines.”