A racehorse driver’s trip to buy chips cost him £237, his licence and put his job at risk when he crashed into a wall while over the drink-drive limit.

Jonathan Edward McCabe, of Station Road, Letterston, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, December 10.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said McCabe fled the scene after crashing a Hyundai Terracan into a wall on the unclassified road between the A40 and Station Road, Letterston, at 11pm on November 22.

The owner of the wall called the police, and McCabe, 31, was spotted walking along the road shortly after they arrived at the scene.

He told officers he had been to buy a take-away, but they became suspicious when there were no chips to be seen, and noticed a strong smell of alcohol.

The badly damaged car was found blocking a nearby road.

McCabe then stated: “I’m not going to lie to you, I was driving the car.”

He was found to have 45mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said the offence was aggravated by the fact McCabe failed to stop after the collision, and there was evidence his driving was impaired.

David Elvy, defending, told the bench McCabe’s job, which involved driving racehorses to meetings, was now at risk.

“He had been drinking, he had gone home, felt hungry and decided to get chips.

“It was an extremely foolish thing to have done. He was not a long way over the limit.”

Mr Elvy said McCabe took a bend a ‘little too wide’ before hitting the wall, and the damage would be covered by insurance.

“Mr McCabe is very sorry for what he recognises was a serious lack of judgement.”

Magistrates banned McCabe from driving for 14 months and fined him £120. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.