A drunk-driver failed to make a clean getaway when he became trapped in a large road-sweeper which he crashed into a bridge on his way home from the pub.

John Francis Dorris, who is currently of no fixed abode, appeared from custody at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, September 11, after being at large for five years.

Dorris, 33, pleaded guilty to charges drink-driving, aggravated vehicle taking and failing to surrender to court.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, told the court that a warrant was issued for Dorris in 2013 when he failed to attend his court hearing.

The bench heard that Dorris took a road-sweeper belonging to his employer for a drive while over the legal alcohol limit on April 26, 2013.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said Dorris drove the vehicle as part of his job working on the new road at Kilgetty, and was able to take it home because he lived nearby.

“It was a large vehicle. On this occasion he went out after work for a drink and then drove the vehicle without authority.”

The truck swerved as he drove it from his local pub, hitting a railway bridge and trapping his foot under levers which bent during the impact.

Dorris had to be cut out of the crash wreckage by fire-fighters, and suffered a broken bone in his foot as a result of the collision.

He was found to have 191mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, more than double the legal limit of 80mg.

Mr Pritchard-Jones added: “It was a large heavy vehicle. There was an accident and he has been at large for five years.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, said the distance driven was very short, as he had visited a shop and then the pub before hitting the bridge in the centre of Kilgetty.

He added that the truck had not been driven at excessive speed.

Mr Webb said: “The defendant has been at large since 2013 basically because he went home to Ireland, and had been there ever since.

“He suffered an injury in the crash which led to him being unable to work, so he went home. There was some crushing as well as a broken bone.”

The bench heard that Dorris contacted the police himself when he returned to Pembrokeshire to resume work.

Magistrates sentenced Dorris to a total of four months in prison and ordered him to pay £100 court costs. He was banned from driving for 46 months.