A DRINK-DRIVER who was more than three times the legal limit and crashed into a gas canister at a Clarach Bay holiday park was seen by a member of staff on all fours and struggling to stand up, magistrates have heard.

James Arthur Griffiths, 60, was on holiday in Clarach when he drove into the canister which caused damage to a caravan. Following his arrest he was found to be more than three times the legal driving limit.

Griffiths, of 12 Hamlet Road in Ludlow, pleaded guilty to drink-driving during the incident at Clarach Bay Holiday Park on 9 October.

Prosecutor Rhian Jones said police were called by staff at the holiday park after Griffiths was seen to drive into a gas canister next to a caravan in his Ford Focus.

One witness who had seen him before the incident said Griffiths had been staggering before falling over and struggling to get up while on all fours.

When Griffiths was approached by a staff member following the collision, he admitted he had been drinking, but said there was nothing they could do about it as he was on private land.

Police officers speaking to Griffiths said his eyes were glazed and his speech slurred but, despite admitting he had hit the gas canister, Griffiths said: “This is ridiculous, I’ve had a few pints after driving.”

A breath test showed that Griffiths had 110 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

In an interview, Griffiths claimed that he had hit the gas canister by accident and had been going to report it to the front desk, and said that he had drunk alcohol after the incident and not before.

However, defence solicitor Alison Mathias said Griffiths accepted he had been drinking the night before and had drunk more alcohol that morning after he went to the bar when he visited the shop to buy a paper.

Ms Mathias said Griffiths, who is a carer for three members of his family, had then walked back to the caravan only to find his wife had gone for a walk.

He panicked and chose to drive the car to try and find her.

She said Griffiths had been under a lot of stress because of his caring role.

Griffiths was banned from driving for 23 months. He was also fined £320 and will pay costs of £117.