A Cardigan woman seen driving slowly and swerving across the road was found to be almost three times the drink-drive limit.

Irene Mary James, 55, admitted drink-driving. Her solicitor Alan Lewis said that she had made a “very, very foolish decision” to drive home after she had intended to wait for friends and get a taxi home.

Prosecutor Rhian Jones said James was seen driving toward Finch Square in Cardigan at around 1.15am by police officers on patrol.

She was driving slowly and was swerving on the road and was stopped by police. When officers spoke to James, of Pwll y Meidw, 3 Fishguard Road, they smelt alcohol and James failed a roadside test.

She was found to have 101mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. Ms Jones said James was convicted of drink-driving in 2018, so was facing an extended driving ban.

Mr Lewis said James had been persuaded to see friends, but was planning on having one drink.

However, when her friends moved elsewhere, James decided to stay in the pub they had initially met at to wait for them to return.

While waiting, James had more to drink, but had planned to get a taxi home.

Mr Lewis said James has a broken leg and when she couldn’t get a taxi she felt she had to drive as she could not walk home. He said James was only going to drive a short distance.

Mr Lewis said he expected magistrates to want a pre-sentence report and said he thought that James would benefit from working with the probation service.

James was banned from driving for 40 months.

She was also made subject to a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

James was fined £150 and must pay costs of £175.