A drink-driver apologised after 'panic' caused him to get behind the wheel whilst over the alcohol limit.

Neil Levett, of Henka Road in Penley, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Monday.

The 43-year-old admitted that on July 12, he drove a Skoda Fabia on the A525 at Wrexham after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath exceeded the specified limit.

Prosecutor Justin Espie told the court that at around 1am, officers on patrol in Worthenbury spotted a red Skoda which was initially stationary.

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It then moved forward 10 metres and stopped half in a layby and half in the carriageway.

Officers spoke to the driver, Levett, and carried out a roadside alcohol test - which was positive.

The defendant gave an evidential reading of 47 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath; the limit being 35.

Lorraine McClure, defending, told the court her client had made the "incorrect decision" to get behind the wheel after becoming concerned about the wellbeing of another person.

She explained: "He struggles to get signal in the remote area where he lives and felt it was a genuine emergency. Panic set in and he got in the car.

The Leader:

"He's very sorry for his actions.

"Perhaps there was a better way - there were alternatives he could have explored."

The court handed down a 12 month driving ban and fined the defendant £357, as well as ordering him to pay a £143 victim surcharge and £85 costs.