A PARTY-GOER claims he was sexually harassed at a Christmas bash and fled – only to get caught drink-driving, Cardiff Magistrates\u2019 Court heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
David Howell left the festivities after “improper proposals” and intended to drive home in his Volkswagen Polo. But he came off the road and hit a lamppost, the court was told. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nick Evans, prosecuting, said that Howell had initially refused to complete a roadside breathalyser test. But when he was taken to a police station, he was found to have 79 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Howell, who defended himself, told magistrates he was of good character and had no prior convictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He pleaded guilty to failure to provide a specimen on the night of January 24, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 40 year old explained that he had been distressed at the time of driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Howell said: \u201cI was at a work Christmas event and things got out of hand. My manager made improper proposals and I left. I was so overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI panicked and I couldn\u2019t think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Howell is currently out of work and said he has brought a case of sexual harassment in the workplace against his former employer linked with events that night. The case is due to be heard by a tribunal, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Howell, of Raymond Terrace, Pontypridd, currently lives with his mother with whom he moved in to take care of her following a recent cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He asked the court whether he could avoid a ban in order to continue to take his mother to hospital but was refused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Howell received a 12-month driving ban and was ordered to complete a drink drive course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was also ordered to pay a fine of \u00a380, a surcharge of \u00a332 and court costs of \u00a385.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The magistrate Mr James Thomas warned Howell: \u201cIf you are caught behind the wheel you will go through that big red door which goes to a very nasty place.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Pontypridd man was caught driving under the influence after fleeing a work Christmas event where he had been sexually harassed, Cardiff Magistrates\u2019 Court heard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":897,"featured_media":71911,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1291,875,394,2660,339],"coauthors":[8088],"class_list":["post-74113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-cardiff-2","tag-cardiff-magistrates-court","tag-court","tag-drink-driving","tag-wales"],"yoast_head":"\n