A MAN found slumped asleep over his car’s steering wheel with the engine revving has escaped a driving ban after magistrates heard he would lose his job if he was banned.

Gwyn James Pierce, 23, was found asleep in his car with the engine still on in the early hours of Saturday, 14 November, and was found to be more than twice the drink-drive limit after a police officer had to repeatedly bang on the car window to wake Pierce up.

Pierce, who pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit through drink, was found by police asleep in his Audi A3 on the A487 at Chancery with officers ruling that the car was stopped in a “dangerous position”.

Kevin Challinor,prosecuting, said a member of the public contacted police after seeing Pierce’s car on the side of the road with the engine and lights still on and Pierce asleep on the steering wheel with his seatbelt still on.

Officers had to bang on the car window several times before Pierce, of Gelli Haf, Llangynderyn, Cydweli in Carmarthenshire, eventually woke up.

Defence solicitor Matthew Murphy said Pierce had been out with a friend in Aberystwyth and had been planning on staying with them, but had lost them during the evening.

Mr Murphy said a driving ban for Pierce, who had a drink-drive conviction in 2011, would see him lose his job as a farm manager.

Pierce was given ten penalty points, but was also fined £500, will pay costs totalling £135 and a court charge of £150.