A LLANDYSUL dairy worker found by police sitting in his car with the engine on while over the limit has escaped a driving ban.

Lance Ronald Shailer Mason, 21, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit through drink after police approached him near the Newcastle Emlyn dairy where he works in the early hours of 1 October.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said officers noticed Mason’s car parked in a layby with the headlights and interior light on.

They stopped to speak to him and saw that Mason, of 15 Trem y Foel, Penrhiwllan, was sat in the driver’s seat with the seatbelt on, the engine running and with four cans of lager on the passenger seat.

Officers asked Mason to take a breath test, which he failed, with a later test showing that he had 49 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Iestyn Davies, defending Mason­, said he had not driven, but accepted that he was in control of the vehicle because the engine was on.

He said Mason had been out with a friend after earlier parking his car near the dairy, and had gone back to the car after drinking.

Mr Davies said Mason had been waiting to see a friend who was due to finish his schedule, but had missed him.

Mason was described as a polite, courteous man with Mr Davies adding: “It’s a shame he’s found himself in this situation.”

Mr Davies urged magistrates not to ban Mason from driving, but to instead impose 10 penalty points on his licence, saying that would see Mason revert to being a provisional licence holder as he is classified as a new driver.

Mason was given 10 points on his licence, but will have to pay a fine of £175 and costs of £115.