Police found a Rosemarket pensioner in possession of Class B drugs following a report he had crashed into traffic lights.

David Andrew McKinven, of West Street, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit and cannabis possession when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, October 9.

Sian Vaughan, prosecuting, said police received a call from a concerned member of the public who was travelling behind McKinven’s VW Passatt on Thornton Road, Milford Haven, at 8.20pm on September 21.

“He said the vehicle had been driven through some cones leading up to a set of traffic lights, and had then collided with the traffic lights.”

Officers noticed recent damage to his car when they called at McKinven’s house, and could smell intoxicants on his breath when they spoke to him.

He stated he had consumed two pints of Guinness and a whisky before driving, and a glass of cider with his dinner with a meal when he returned home.

The officers also noticed the scent of cannabis emanating from the property, and McKinven, 67, who provided a positive breath-test made a full admission to possession of two grams of the drug.

He was found to have 61mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Katy Hanson, defending, said McKinven did not recollect colliding with the traffic lights, and did not accept it had happened, but accepted he would have been over the limit when driving.

“He says the reading when he was driving was not as high, because he had been drinking at home.”

The bench heard that McKinven self-medicated with small amounts of cannabis as pain relief, and suffered from significant health issues.

“He apologises to the court for what happened on that evening. It’s out of character and will have a big impact on him.”

Magistrates fined McKinven £147 and banned him from driving for 17 months. He was also ordered to pay £115 in costs and a surcharge.

A 12-month conditional discharge and destruction order was imposed for the cannabis offence.