A POLICE officer seen swerving in the road in New Quay by other police officers was more than four times the drink-drive limit, a court has heard.

Aled Ioan Jones, of Awel Enlli, Maes y Môr in Cross Inn, was warned by Aberystwyth magistrates that he could have been sent to prison but they imposed a suspended prison sentence after Jones pleaded guilty to drink-driving on 19 June.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said Jones was seen at around 10.30pm by a police officer on patrol driving on the A486, swerving across the road and pulling across the central white line.

The officer saw Jones, 45, pull into a driveway nearby and stop, and when speaking to Jones the officer smelt alcohol and saw Jones was unsteady on his feet and slurring his speech.

A breath test showed that Jones had 149 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over four times the legal limit of 35.

Defence solicitor Anthony O’Connell said Jones, who is currently on sick leave from South Wales Police, but will be leaving the police force shortly, had been struggling after suffering a family bereavement and the breakdown of his marriage.

He said that O’Connell realised that the high alcohol reading meant he was at risk of being jailed but said O’Connell was remorseful about the incident which had been caused after a range of issues had “built up”.

Mr O’Connell said that while the alcohol reading was very high, Jones had been driving at a time when there was likely to be fewer people on the roads.

Jones has served South Wales Police for 19 years without any issues, but Mr O’Connell said he would soon be leaving the police force, although would be receiving counselling arranged by the Police Federation.

While magistrates said they could have jailed Jones for the offence, they had decided to suspend the 20-week prison sentence for two years.

That will mean Jones must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for three years and will pay costs of £200.