A drink-driver who has been banned from driving for 28 months will keep his job maintaining snowploughs in airports throughout the UK because he is so highly thought of, a court was told.

James Neary, prosecuting at Llandudno magistrates’ court, said that on August 17 a woman driving along the B5106 in the Conwy Valley came up behind William Lewis’ Ford Fiesta which veered over the white line.

He slowed down to 20mph but then “floored it” and sped across the narrow bridge at Dolgarrog despite a car coming towards him.

The witness told police the resultant crash was “inevitable”.

Lewis, 59, of Gower Road, Trefriw, was found to have 90 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35.

He admitted driving with excess alcohol and told police he had been drinking in Llandudno, and normally took a bus home.

Deborah Davies, defending, said he had a clean driving record and was ashamed of his actions.

She said he had worked for the same company for 40 years and was so highly valued by the company that they would ensure that he would be able to travel to work.

Chairman Rob Bradley said that a community punishment would be unworkable because of his irregular hours so the fine of £833 was therefore higher than it would have been. Lewis was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £83 surcharge.