A Pembroke Dock motorist with a long record of driving offences has been banned from driving for three years after appearing in court this week.

Forty-three-year-old David Robert Turnbull, of Dimond Street, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, charged with driving his Ford Transit after exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit; driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and using a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance.

The offences occurred in Pembroke’s Park Street on April 23, the court heard.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told magistrates that it was Mr. Turnbull’s estranged wife who called the police after she became concerned that he had driven away from her home after consuming alcohol.

“The defendant was at her house helping with the children and trying to get the marriage back on track,” he explained.

“Mr. Turnbull had been drinking cans of beer whilst there, but shortly before 6 pm he had an argument with his wife and drove off.

“He has a long history of driving offences and I’ve not come across this before, but has to take an annual test with the DVLA, otherwise they do not renew his driving licence. He had not taken the test this term, hence the other charges,” continued Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

Mr. Turnbull was located at his cousin’s house in Pembroke and told police officers when they arrived that he had consumed more alcohol after he got there.

“The reading on the charge sheet is 113 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, but taking into account the extra information, based on information that Mr. Turnbull has stated that he drunk a small bottle of whisky after driving, we have settled on a charge of 75 microgrammes.

“The charges are aggravated by his record,” added Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

After hearing from Mr. Turnbull’s defence solicitor Mike Kelleher and also a pre-sentence report from the probation officer, magistrates imposed a community order, with 200 hours of unpaid work and disqualified the defendant from driving for three years.

A total of nine points were endorsed on Mr. Turnbull’s licence and he was ordered to pay £170 in court costs and charges.