A NEW Quay man was stopped for drink-driving after a member of the public tipped police off.

Thomas James Mason, of Bethany, Maenygroes, pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Tanygroes on 24 April when he was found to have 49 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Prosecutor Rhian Jones said police had been alerted to a possible drink-driver at around 4.30pm near the Tanygroes car dismantlers yard.

An officer in a marked police car went to the site and eventually saw Mason, 57, leaving the yard. He stopped by the police officer and asked if everything was alright, and when asked if he’d been drinking said he had drunk a glass of wine earlier that day.

Defence solicitor Alison Mathias said that despite the high alcohol reading, Mason, had only drunk one glass of wine, but she said he accepted it was a large glass and that he rarely drank, so accepted the reading.

Ms Mathias said Mason had not realised how much of an impact the alcohol would have on his system and apologised for the incident.

Mason works as a handyman in the New Quay area and Ms Mathias said a driving ban would make that more difficult.

Mason was banned from driving for a year, will pay a fine of £120 and will pay costs of £115.