A DRINK-DRIVER was caught after he drove through Newport late at night without his car lights on.

Tyler Hill, 26, was also banned from the roads, driving the gold Volkswagen Passat without insurance and carrying cocaine inside the vehicle at the time.

David Thomas, prosecuting, told Newport Magistrates’ Court: “Officers in an unmarked police car saw the defendant in his car at around 11.05pm at night with no lights on as it turned from Corporation Road into Cromwell Road.

“They followed the vehicle until it stopped on Oliver Road.

“One of the officers got out of their car and handcuffed the defendant when he was in the driver’s seat.

“They discovered he was a disqualified driver and he had a strong smell of alcohol when he was speaking.”

Police found one gramme of cocaine in the Passat and Hill was more than twice the drink-drive limit when he was breathalysed at the roadside.

He was arrested and taken to Newport Central police station where he was breathalysed again and he was just under twice the limit.

Hill, of Oliver Road, Newport, pleaded guilty to drink-driving with 67 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

He also admitted driving while disqualified, driving with no insurance and possession of cocaine.

The offences were committed on Thursday, February 16.

The court heard the defendant had five previous convictions, including one for being drunk and disorderly.

In his pre-sentence report Hill explained to a probation officer why he had driven that night.

He said he had been drinking with his brother when his sibling had a missed call from his pregnant girlfriend.

Because his brother was concerned about his partner he decided to drive to her home because he had drank less than him.

The defendant was on his way home from her address when he was caught.

The court was told Hill was a young father who had recently started a new job and had given up drinking and taking cocaine.

Laila Williams, representing the defendant, said: “It was a stupid decision to get in the car.”

District Judge Sophie Toms told Hill: “This could have had catastrophic consequences.”

She jailed him for 18 weeks but that sentence was suspended for 12 months and he was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for two years and six months and ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.