A HAVERFORDWEST man, who ran away after crashing a friend’s car into a wall following a night’s drinking, has been banned from driving for 17 months.

Appearing before the town’s magistrates last week, Michael James Tomlin, 30, of Glen View, Merlins Bridge admitted driving a Renault Clio Sport on Haverfordwest’s Union Hill in the early hours of October 2 while over the legal drink-drive limit.

An intoxilyser reading of 60 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath was recorded.

Tomlin also admitted failing to report an accident, described as crashing into ‘a historic stone wall’ at the top of Union Hill, on the same date.

Magistrates heard Tomlin had been drinking with a group of friends in Haverfordwest on the evening before the crash, ending up in the Eddie Rocks nightclub in Quay Street, leaving at 2.30am.

Tomlin, who said he was insured, offered to drive his friend’s car home; the remaining members of the group getting in the car.

Prosecuting, Ellie Morgan said: “As they travelled up the hill from Quay Street, Mr Tomlin was asked to slow down; Mr Tomlin lost control and collided with the nearside wall, causing severe damage to the car.

“Mr Tomlin then made off on foot from the scene; as he left he shouted back: ‘I’ll pay for the car’.”

The court heard police were called by one of the passengers.

Police later attended at Tomlin’s home at 4.30am where he produced a positive breath specimen.

During interview he admitted driving the car at speed while over the legal drink-drive limit, claiming the owner of the car pulled the steering wheel to slow him down, leading to the crash.

Police heard Tomlin had drunk almost an entire 75cl bottle of 22 percent alcohol V-Cat vodka before driving, and had drunk at least a double vodka at home post-accident.

Defending, Alex Scott said: “He had consumed alcohol throughout the evening, at the time he got into the motor vehicle he accepts, on balance, he had exceeded the drink-drive level.

“What he does not accept is his reading in breath, in his estimation it would’ve been somewhat lower than that at the time of the accident.”

Tomlin was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined £110, and was ordered to pay costs of £85 with a Victim of Crime Surcharge of £25.

No separate penalty was made for his failing to report an accident.