A Prestatyn man who was over four times the drink-drive limit but did not think he had a drink problem was told by a Judge: “You do have a serious problem.”

Deputy District Judge Meirion Lewis-Jones told Steven Parry: “You really do have to get to grips with the problem.”

James Neary, prosecuting at Llandudno magistrates’ court, said that on July 22 police received reports from members of the public about a driver who appeared to be heavily under the influence of alcohol.

He was stopped in Bridge Road, Prestatyn, and found to have 153 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35.

Parry, aged 44, of Alexandra Drive, Prestatyn, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol – his second conviction for the offence – but told a probation officer that he did not see himself as having a problem, as he drank on nights when he did not have to work the following day.

Donald Roberts, defending, said in mitigation that no other road users had been in any real danger and there were no complaints about his standard of driving.

If jailed, he would lose his job and as a result be unable to pay his mortgage, so could also lose his home, said Mr Roberts.

Parry was given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for four years.