View 2 Images

Timothy Howells was drunk when he crashed the vehicle in west Wales(Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

Photographs show the moment a drunk driving instructor crashed his car into a ditch on the way to a lesson.

Timothy Howells was onthe way to his first lesson of the day with the RED Driving School when his car smashed off the road. A court heard the 54-year-old man was found to have been four times over the limit in his driving school-marked VW Polo after police were called to the scene.

Passing motorists saw Howells in the ditch — and he was filmed as he peered out of the open driver’s side window. In a video shared online, one driver shouts to Howells: “Plenty to drink last night or what? You can’t park there mate.”

But Howells’ eight-week custodial sentence for drink driving was this week suspended for 18 months at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court. He was, though, banned from driving for 30 months after admitting the charge.

View 2 Images

Howells was snapped in the passenger seat of another roadside car while his RED driving school vehicle was recovered from the bushes(Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info

In interview after his arrest on Friday February 20, Howells admitted that when he was arrested by officers, he was on his way to collect a pupil for a driving lesson. The court heard Dyfed-Powys Police received a report of a single-vehicle collision on the A484 between Pembrey to Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, where a car was found in a roadside ditch.

Howells, a driving instructor from Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, appeared heavily intoxicated to officers and provided an initial roadside breath test reading of 110 and was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. A police spokesperson said: “A short time later while in custody, Howells provided a second evidential breath test reading of 132 — four times over the limit.”

Llanelli Magistrates’ Court was also told the defendant represented RED Driving School as a self-employed franchisee, one of more than 10,000 professionals in the UK. He won’t be able to work in the field for at least 30 months now due to the ban, reports Wales Online.

Speaking after the court appearance, Dyfed-Powys Police Chef Inspector Christina Fraser said: “Mr Howells was operating in a position of great trust and responsibility; Roads Policing officers have worked quickly in conjunction with colleagues, CPS and the DVSA, to ensure learner drivers and other road users have been safeguarded from an individual who presented a serious risk of harm.”

According to its website RED Driving School is “the largest trainer of driving instructors in the UK, having trained over 10,000 people to reach full ADI qualification”. The company was named the national driving school of the year for 2021. The Mirror has today approached the company for comment, though it has declined to comment to Wales Online.