A Pembroke man was banned from the roads for 18 months after admitting drink-driving on New Year’s Day.

Paul Smith, 30, pleaded guilty to the offence yesterday in Magistrates’ Court.

He denied a charge of refusing to provide a sample of breath for analysis when requested by police to do so, but the prosecution declined to offer any evidence for this charge.

The court heard that police were on patrol in Paget at about 1.25am when they saw a motorcycle travelling west.

Officers saw the rider swerve while riding to Trimingham Road before making a sharp turn.

Police followed him and signalled for him to stop. The driver eventually slowed before coming to a sharp stop on Crow Lane in Pembroke.

The rider, who turned out to be Smith, admitted to police that he had been drinking and was placed under arrest for drink-driving.

He told police: “Please don’t do this to me.”

Senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson fined Smith $1,500 for the offence on top of his 18-month road ban.

He was ordered to pay the fine by the end of the day.

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