Swansea driver said to cops they should be "driving around council estates looking for proper criminals"

A SWANSEA Market trader told police officers they should be "driving around council estates looking for proper criminals" when he was stopped on suspicion of drink- driving, a court heard.

Timothy Mark Lloyd, of Vicarage Road, Morriston, pleaded guilty at Neath Magistrates' Court on Monday to a charge of driving a Range Rover while over the legal alcohol limit.

The court heard that Lloyd had visited the Bryncoch public house for a meal with his wife and friends on the evening of February 1.

Lloyd was stopped by police a short time later.

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When breathalysed he was found to have 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

After providing the test, Lloyd was arrested and told officers: "Why aren't you looking for proper criminals?

Killed

"You should be driving around council estates, I haven't killed anyone."

Defence solicitor Giles Hayes said appearing before the court was an "extremely sobering experience" for him.

"He is a man of previous good character who runs a business in Swansea Market," he said.

"He is extremely embarrassed to find himself in this position.

"He had gone to the pub with his wife and friends. It seems someone had called the police — he was stopped no more than 150 yards away from the pub.

"There is nothing to suggest his driving was erratic.

"Aside from the rather terse comment made at the time of his arrest he fully co-operated with the police."

Lloyd, 53, was banned from driving for 18 months, fined £280 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge.