A MAN who had been drinking lager at his local pub foolishly decided to drive the short distance home, a court heard.

But Alun Jones, 29, was seen to be driving aggressively from the car park of The Crooked Horn at Brynford at about midnight on December 9.

Police who noticed he had a defective light stopped him and found he was more than twice the drink drive limit.

North East Wales Magistrates’ Court at Mold was told that the inevitable driving ban would have a massive impact on Jones’ work and personal life.

Jones, formerly of Park Avenue in Carmel but now of Hillside Farm in Brynford, admitted driving with 81 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath compared to the legal limit of 35.

He was banned from driving for 18 months - which will be cut by a quarter if he successfully completes a drink drive rehabilitation course - and fined £400 with £85 costs and a £40 surcharge.

Prosecutor Justin Espie said that police were passing the public house at about midnight when they saw the defendant pull out of the car park in an aggressive manner.

They also saw that he had a defective rear light and decided to stop him.

He provided a positive breath test, was arrested and providing the 81 reading at the police station.

Defending solicitor Dafydd Roberts said that his client had taken his girlfriend to the Broughton Retail Park and then on the way back stopped at the pub close to where he lived, and had a few drinks.

Foolishly he decided to drive the half mile or so to his home when clearly he should have walked.

He fully appreciated the trouble he was in.

Mr Roberts said that his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and was a man of “absolute good character” who was a self employed ground worker who did surfacing work throughout Wales and over the border.

His father ran afar and his client helped his father with heavy lifting work as his father had an operation.

The defendant had regular contact with his daughter who lived with her mother in the Saltney area.

Mr Roberts said that the driving ban would have a massive impact on the defendant’s life.

The solicitor handed in references from family members and from the civil engineering company he worked for.

He was described as a hard working, conscientious employee and he had a clean driving licence for the last nine years.