Drinking home-measures of vodka after hearing bad news cost a Haverfordwest businessman £417 and his driving licence.

Fazlur Rahman, of Goshawk Drive, Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, October 22.

Sian Vaughan, prosecuting, said police stopped Rahman’s BMW on Freemans Way, Haverfordwest, at 11pm on October 5, after becoming concerned about the standard of his driving.

“There was a strong smell of alcohol emanating from his direction.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, said Raham, 40, had heard that both his parents had found out that they had cancer within days of each other.

“He was at home and poured himself some vodka. They were home measures rather than pub measures. He thought he was okay to drive, but clearly he was not.”

Rahman was found to have 62mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Magistrates fined Rahman £300 and ordered him to pay £117 in costs and a surcharge.

He was banned from driving for 18 months.

The chairman of the bench said: “Hopefully you have learnt your lesson today with this offence. It is very dangerous to be out on the roads with excess alcohol.”