A Goodwick man who drove off in a car owned by a man he’d never met, found himself before magistrates this week charged with taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

Paul Gurney had gone out to Narberth for drinks with a friend on the evening of March 11. His friend had borrowed a Crysler CRD car from another aquaintance, but just before 9pm Gurney decided to jump behind the steering wheel and drive off on his own.

He was eventually apprehended by police officers on Freeman’s Way, Haverfordwest following what Crown Prosecutor Kelly Rivers described as ‘a single vehicle collision’.

“His friend had been lent the car for a reason, but no one else had permission to drive it," she told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

"But the defendant was the sole occupant as he drove it along Freeman's Way."

Following the collision, a witness reported seeing the defendant lying down.  

When police officers arrived, they discovered that Gurney's speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

Blood tests carried out in the Haverfordwest police custody suite confirmed that Gurney had been driving with 154mg of alcohol in his blood. The legal limit is 80.

This week Gurney, 30, of Maesgrug, Stop and Call, Goodwick, pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving above the legal alcohol limit, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without third party insurance.

He was represented in court by Mr Michael Kelleher.

“He made a foolish decision,” he said. “He was out in Narberth with a friend who gave him the keys. Why he decided to drive the car, he has no idea.”

Gurney was disqualified from driving for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation requirement days.

He must pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs.