A COUPLE were praised after alerting police and following a drunken driver as he swerved “all over the road” at Llandudno.

Sabelo Madonsela, 32, a kitchen assistant, of Maes yr Orsedd, Llandudno, received a 12-week suspended prison sentence and three-year ban after he admitted driving when more than three times the alcohol limit. His breath-alcohol count was 128 and the legal limit is 35.

District judge Gwyn Jones at Llandudno court told him on Wednesday (July 21): "You should be nowhere near a vehicle when you have had that amount of alcohol to drink.

“However, on this day you drove in the Llandudno area and a public-spirited member of the public was so concerned that they followed you and saw you were not able to drive that car safely. It’s clear you could have been charged with far more serious offences. The potential risk of harm was extremely high.“

The defendant must pay £213 costs.

Prosecutor James Neary said Madonsela had been seen leaving a shop on the night of July 4 and had a bottle of vodka. He got in a Vauxhall Astra.

A worried woman onlooker called the police.

Mr Neary said the car came close to hitting parked vehicles and went on the wrong side of the road. The eyewitness, who had been with her partner, said: "It was like he was driving with his eyes closed."

The Astra had hit a kerb and he parked in the middle of a road at one stage.

Judge Jones said the witnesses should be commended for their actions.

Defence solicitor Simon Sargent said Madonsela had issues with alcohol for several years and the problem increased over lockdown. There was a letter of referral by the local health board for help.

“It’s only by good fortune a third-party wasn’t injured. It was a short distance driven,” the solicitor added.