Removing a friend from an altercation led to a Pembroke Dock teen crashing his car and losing his licence.

Loui Murray, of Lavinia Drive, pleaded guilty to drink-driving when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, February 12.

Abul Hussain, prosecuting, said police received a report of a traffic collision in the early hours of January 27, and found Murray’s Vauxhall Corsa had collided with a stationary vehicle in Treowen Road, Pennar.

A roadside breath-test was positive and Murray was later found have 43mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Mr Hussain said: “The defendant made a significant comment to officers – ‘the only reason I drove was there was fighting in Haverfordwest, I drove to get my mate out to stop him from getting beaten up.’”

The court heard that Murray, 18, was previously of clean character.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said Murray went to join friends at a Haverfordwest night club after working in a Pembroke pub on the night in question, and had no intention of driving afterwards.

“He drove to Haverfordwest, sober, to meet up with friends because it was one of their birthdays.”

Murray’s friend wanted to leave after becoming the victim of an altercation, and Murray who had been drinking but felt fine, decided to drive him.

Mr Webb said: “Mr Murray made an error of judgement, he thought he was okay to drive.”

He added that Murray, who was on an engineering apprenticeship while working in a pub, had consumed two or three bottles of WKD, and was a short distance from home when the minor collision occurred.

“He has never been in trouble before in his life.”

Magistrates banned Murray from driving for 12 months and fined him £180. He was ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 surcharge.