A FFOS y Ffin man crashed his car into an Aberarth house while more than twice the drink-drive limit, magistrates have heard.

Kieran Merritt, of Ffrin, pleaded guilty to drink-driving after a crash in the early hours of 29 March saw his car end up hitting a house.

Prosecutor Helen Tench told magistrates that police were called to the crash scene at around 3.15am after 24-year-old Merritt’s car hit the house.

Ms Tench said the officer found the car “resting” against the house.

An ambulance crew was present at the scene and were tending to Merritt, who officers noticed smelt of alcohol. Ms Tench said he was alternating between talking to paramedics and shouting at them.

Merritt was taken to Bronglais Hospital complaining of neck and back pain.

A urine sample taken at the hospital showed Merritt had 258 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. The legal limit is 107.

Merritt told police officers that he had been out drinking with friends in Aberystwyth before getting a taxi back to a friend’s house, but that he couldn’t then remember anything else until the car crash.

Defence solicitor Maggie Hughes said Merritt was very remorseful and realised that the crash could have resulted in serious consequences.

She said Merritt had apologised to police while at the hospital and had said that it “was a big mistake”.

While the urine alcohol reading was high, Ms Hughes said Merritt had a medical condition which meant his system struggled to deal with the alcohol.

Ms Hughes said Merritt had gone to Aberystwyth with friends intending not to drink, but then decided that he would drink with the rest of his friends, so before he started drinking he drove his car back to Llanon and got a lift back to Aberystwyth.

She said that after returning to his friend’s house, Merritt couldn’t remember what had led to him driving, but said that after the crash he had stayed at the scene and admitted to police that he was the driver.

Magistrates heard that Merritt was now facing a “huge financial burden” as a clause in his insurance said that his insurance company could recoup any money the company spent on paying for damage caused in any incident where Merritt was over the drink-drive limit.

Merritt was banned from driving for 18 months. He was also fined £200 and will pay costs totalling £115.