AN AMMANFORD man has been banned from getting behind the wheel for 22 months after drunkenly crashing his car into a wall and failing to stop when pursued by police.

Christopher Anthony Bartlett, of High Street, claimed the offences had been committed by someone else.

Bartlett had been driving through Ammanford while more than twice the drink-drive limit when police officers on routine patrol heard him skid and crash into a wall.

The officers then saw Bartlett speed off from the crash in the early hours of the morning on July 22.

When police chased Bartlett, he failed to stop, but dumped the car after losing the officers.

He was recognised walking through Ammanford a few minutes later.

A breath test showed that the 21-year-old had 84 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Following further checks at the police station, Bartlett was found to have no valid insurance on the Volkswagen Polo.

When he appeared in Llanelli magistrates’ court, Bartlett denied the four charges, and claimed they must have been committed by someone else.

He said he often leaves his keys in his car overnight and he had his suspicions as to who had taken it.

He claimed he was heavily intoxicated and a friend had dropped him home after a night out.

He told the court he had been walking through Ammanford when police stopped him because the friend, who had dropped him home, had left his keys at Bartlett’s house.

After a trial, magistrates found Bartlett guilty of drink-driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop when required to do so by police and driving without insurance.

He was banned from driving for 22 months, fined £300, ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge, and £620 for the cost of the trial.

Bartlett will pay £10 per week as of October 27.

Over the summer, Dyfed Powys Police targeted drivers who risk their lives and the lives of others by driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Last summer in Wales, over 9,500 motorists took part in the campaign, with more than 300 returning either positive results or failing or refusing to take the breath test.