Phillip Carroll, 31, admitted drug-driving offences after tests showed levels above the legal limits, magistrates heard

A NEYLAND man has been banned from the roads after being caught driving with cocaine and its metabolite in his system.

Phillip Carroll, 31, was followed by police as he drove his Ford Fiesta home to Riga Avenue, Neyland, on the morning of October 24, 2025. A roadside drug swipe proved positive and further tests at the police station showed he had 13mcg of cocaine in his system and 240mcg of benzoylecgonine, the cocaine metabolite. The legal limits are 10 and 50 respectively.

Carroll pleaded guilty to two drug-driving charges when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates this week. He was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who said there were no aggravating features and no suggestion his driving was impaired.

“In fact he knew that the police had been following him for a distance of around seven miles,” Mr Kelleher said. “And after attending at the police station, officers handed him back his car keys after he was charged, and he was allowed to drive home.”

Magistrates disqualified Carroll from driving for 12 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £48 surcharge.

NATHAN REES, 42, was stopped in Haverfordwest while driving a work van and later gave a breath test reading of 73mcg, more than twice the legal limit

A Pembrokeshire biomass engineer who decided to drive home on Christmas Eve after drinking several pints has been hit with a four-figure penalty after being caught over twice the legal limit.

Nathan Rees, 42, was stopped by police at around 3:45pm on Christmas Eve as he drove his work van along Dredgeman Hill, Haverfordwest.

“It was a routine stop check, and when spoken to by officers, he said he’d drunk two pints of beer,” Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

However, a subsequent breath test showed Rees had 73mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

Rees pleaded guilty to drink-driving. His solicitor Sarah John told the court the offence was out of character and had left her client extremely remorseful.

“This was a very foolish mistake and totally out of character,” she said. “He’s extremely remorseful and understands the ramifications that drink-driving has on the wider community.”

Ms John said the conviction has had a devastating impact on Rees, who has now had to give up his job.

“He was a biomass engineer for which he earned around £40,000 a year, but he’s now had to hand in his notice as his job involved driving all over the country,” she said. “He was the main breadwinner and now feels very guilty about the financial and emotional toll that it’s taken on him.”

Rees, of St Lawrence Avenue, Hakin, was disqualified from driving for 19 months. He was fined £768 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £307 victim surcharge.

“This was a very foolish thing to do, as I’m sure you’re now aware,” the presiding magistrate told him when passing sentence.

Ben John, 33, was discovered in a running car at Bridge Meadow and later gave a breath test reading of 74mcg, magistrates heard

A PEMBROKESHIRE plumber has kept his driving licence after police found him asleep behind the wheel of his car while over the legal alcohol limit.

Officers discovered Ben John, 33, in a red Mini at around 5:00am on December 27, as they carried out an unrelated search at Bridge Meadow car park, Haverfordwest.

“The keys were in the ignition, the engine was on and a can of Fosters could be seen in the cup holder,” Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“The officers could also see the defendant slumped over in the driver’s seat.”

Mr Davies said that when officers knocked on the window, John pressed his foot on the accelerator, causing the engine to rev. A breath test carried out at the police station later showed he had 74mcg of alcohol in his system.

John pleaded guilty to being in charge of a motor vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit. He was represented by solicitor Alaw Harries, who said her client accepted full responsibility.

“It was a cold night and he made the poor decision to get in the vehicle, turn the heating on and fall asleep,” she said.

Ms Harries described John as a “reliable and dedicated” plumber and warned that a disqualification would have serious consequences for his work and others who rely on him.

“A disqualification today would not only jeopardise his own employment, but also the employment of others, including an apprentice who he drives to work on a daily basis,” she said. “We have here a genuine, hard-working individual, who’s reflected on this offence and won’t place himself in this position ever again.”

John, of Priory Avenue, Haverfordwest, was fined £433 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £173 surcharge. His licence was endorsed with ten penalty points.