A HOLIDAYMAKER narrowly missed hitting a family inside a tent after driving whilst drunk.

Tracey Willingham, prosecuting at Dolgellau Magistrates Court, said the family called the police when they realised that the car driver was drunk.

The police arrived at the Caerddaniel site at Llanaber on the outskirts of Barmouth and breath-tested the driver.

Tests revealed that the lowest reading was 81 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms.

Mathew Mark Smethurst, 24, of 36 Stonedale, Sutton Hall, Telford pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and driving without insurance.

He told police that he had been foolish in moving his girlfriend’s car whilst after drinking.

The court heard that after arriving at the site on 30 May and putting up their tent, Smethurst and his girlfriend started drinking.

The defendant then got into his girlfriend’s Renault Modus and although only driving some 20 metres, the car went very close to the adjoining tent with children playing inside.

Smethurst, who was not legally represented, told magistrates that driving the car was a stupid mistake and apologised for his actions.

He told the court that losing his driving licence would not have an effect on him because he was on benefits.

He offered to pay compensation for any damage caused to the adjoining tent by his drink-driving.

Court chairman Elfed ap Gomer told Smethurst that the court had taken into account the remorse Smethurst had shown and his early guilty plea.

The defendant was fined £120 for driving with excess alcohol and £120 for driving without insurance with £85 prosecution costs and £30 victim surcharge.

The court awarded £200 compensation to the owners of the adjoining tent.

The defendant was banned from driving for 22 months.