A drug-driver who crashed into a tree has been banned from the road for a year.

Henri Sebastian Nelson, formerly of Pembrokeshire, now of Upper Fant Road, Maidstone, Kent, pleaded guilty to driving while over the controlled drug limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, August 20.

The court heard police found a vehicle on its side when they arrived at the scene of an accident on the A478 Crymych to Glandwr road at 4.30pm on April 25.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said: “The defendant appears to have been driving from Crymych, lost control and hit a tree. “

Nelson told police he hit the tree after taking a corner too quickly in his Citroen Belingo.

Police noticed that his speech was slurred and he appeared drowsy, and he admitted taking diazepam the previous night and that morning.

He was taken to the police station, after being checked by paramedics, and provided a blood sample which contained diazepam.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said “It was fortunate that it was only him involved and no-one else.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, said Nelson, 30, had no previous convictions.

“It was an unfortunate incident. The defendant, who was formerly living in Pembrokeshire, had taken diazepam. He thought he was okay to drive, and was not, clearly.”

Mr Webb added that Nelson was uncertain how much a ban would affect his work as a landscape gardener, as his job required him to drive at times.

Magistrates banned Nelson from driving for 12 months and fined him £300.

He was ordered to pay £115 in costs and a surcharge.