A NEW Quay man who was caught behind the wheel by police while more than four times the drink drive limit has been handed a suspended jail term and banned for three years.

Thomas Davies, of Flat 11, Morfa Gwyn Flats, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court last week for sentencing.

Davies had previously pleaded guilty to the drink driving charge at an earlier hearing on 22 June.

The court heard that the 46-year-old was stopped by police while driving a Ford Focus on the A48 at Crosshands in Carmarthenshire on 21 June this year.

Roadside and police station tests showed that Davies had 142 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

The offence was “so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified”, magistrates ruled, due to “the very high reading”.

Maagistrates sentenced Davies to 12 weeks in jail.

Magistrates suspended the term for 12 months because there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

Magistrates also disqualified Davies from driving for 36 months.

Davies was also made the subject of a 12 month community order to include 200 hours of unpaid work and up to 25 rehabilitation activity days.

Davies must also pay costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £85 as well as a surcharge to fund victim services of £154.