An out-of-work fisherman sneezed after snorting cocaine and crashed his car, a court has heard.

Scott David Connelly, of Steps Road, Sageston, pleaded guilty to driving while over the controlled drug limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, told the bench that Connelly crashed his BMW into a wall on the A4075 at Carew on October 11.

Connelly, 32, told police a vehicle came towards him a ‘bit close’ and he sneezed, causing him to lose control and crash into a wall.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “He admitted taking cocaine. He was three times the limit and he lost control of the vehicle.

"The Crown would say it would be amazing if there wasn’t a connection between these two facts.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, said: “The sneeze was a factor. If one is ingesting cocaine through the nose, sneezing can follow. It resulted in a minor collision.”

He added that Connelly was a fisherman, but was currently out of work and waiting for the arrival of a boat in the summer.

Magistrates banned Connelly from driving for 12 months and fined £120. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.