A FORMER Lewis Coaches driver could miss out on a new job after being banned from driving after he failed to provide a breath sample.

Magistrates were told that Michael Charles Parker was driving so close to the middle of the road that he almost hit a police car.

But when approached, Parker told the police officer to prove that he was driving, despite Parker’s wife telling the Pc it had been Parker behind the wheel.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said the officer was driving through Llanon in the early hours of 13 August when an oncoming car that was so close to the central line of the road almost hit the police car.

The officer turned around and tracked down the car and saw two men and a woman nearby.

While the two men were walking away, the officer spoke to the woman, who said that Parker had been the one driving.

Ms Tench said the officer stopped the men and spoke to Parker, who was described as smelling of alcohol, but Parker insisted the officer could not prove it was him who was driving.

However, when the officer said Parker’s wife had claimed he had been driving, Parker said: “You b****, I can’t believe you told him.”

Following his arrest, Parker made five attempts to give a breath sample, but Ms Tench said he had been covering the tube with his tongue and claimed it was a deliberate attempt to avoid giving a sample.

But defence solicitor Janem Jones insisted Parker, of 2 Bro Fallen in Talsarn, had tried to provide a breath specimen and had told officers that he had “puffed as much as I can”.

Ms Jones said a driving ban would cause problems for Parker and his family as he is currently out of work after being made redundant following the collapse of Lewis Coaches.

She said that Parker had been offered a job as a driver for another coach company, but he would lose that opportunity as a result of a driving ban, which would have a major impact on the family finances.

Parker was banned from driving for 17 months and will pay a fine of £120 and costs of £115.