A promising boxer, tipped to be part of Team GB in the next Olympics, dealt a blow to his training when he was caught drink-driving.

Michael McDonagh, of Green Meadow Avenue, Pembroke, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, January 7.

He pleaded guilty to driving on Well Hill, Pembroke, while over the legal alcohol limit.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said police saw McDonagh pull out of a side road in Pembroke at 1.30am on December 18.

“He says it was in a slightly erratic fashion.”

The officer could smell alcohol when they stopped the Mercedes A Class driven by McDonagh, 21.

He was arrested and found to have 64mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit is 35mg.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said McDonagh, who was previously of clean character, had not intended to drink when he went out on the night in question, but ended up having ‘a couple of pints’.

“He thought he was okay to drive, and was taking his cousin home, he misjudged the situation. He thought enough time had lapsed.”

The court heard that a driving ban would ‘greatly affect’ McDonagh’s career as a promising amateur boxer who had represented Wales across the UK, and won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Mr Webb said: “He is training to go to Tokyo this year. He is in Sheffield five days a week, driving there and back.

“He will not lose his place with Team GB, but this will be a black mark against his name, which he has avoided all of his life.”

The bench heard that McDonagh rarely drank because of his demanding training schedule, and only consumed alcohol once or twice a year.

Mr Webb added: “It was an error of judgement on this one occasion.”

Magistrates fined McDonagh £230 and banned him from driving for 17 months.

He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “This is a really silly decision that you made that night.”