A police officer had to leave an “extremely abusive” man and wait for more officers to arrive for help following a search which ended in Newtown.

Liam Wilkinson has been banned from driving for six driving after refusing to give police a breath sample when he was suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

The Oswestry man was sentenced at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, July 2, after he admitted one charge of failing to provide a specimen of his breath.

Dyfed-Powys Police received information from West Mercia Police on Sunday, June 16, that a vehicle had been taken without consent and the driver was believed to have been drink driving. The court was told that that Wilkinson had been wrongly accused of taking the vehicle without permission.

The vehicle driven by Wilkinson had been picked up on an ANPR camera along the A483 in Newtown and was found parked at Cledan in Treowen.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said the officer found Wilkinson sitting in the driver's seat and noticed that there was alcohol inside the vehicle.

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Wilkinson told the officer that it was "all fine" before adding that he drank alcohol "not so long ago".

Mrs Tench added that Wilkinson then became abusive towards the officer as their conversation continued.

"You're doing f*** all to me, mate, and I ain't giving you nothing," Wilkinson said before telling police that he'd been sitting in the car for two hours when he had actually been in Newtown for 15 minutes.

The police officer removed himself to prevent the situation from escalating when Wilkinson became "extremely abusive and shouting".

Wilkinson then refused to give a sample of his breath for testing because he told police that he already had 10 points on his driver's licence "so what's the point?".

Robert Hanratty, acting on behalf of Wilkinson, said: "His life has been a crisis since the early part of this year.

"He is quite a vulnerable person."

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Probation officer Julian Davies told the magistrates that Wilkinson had refused the breath test "because he knew what was coming".

He said: "He regrets what happened and says he never should have driven in the mental state he was in and that he shouldn’t have refused the breath sample."

The court was told that alcohol issues had been a problem in Wilkinson's life "for some time" and that he referred himself to an alcohol agency since being arrested.

Cynthia McVey, chair of the magistrates' bench, sentenced Wilkinson, of Laburnum Drive, Oswestry, to a 12-month community order with a six-month alcohol treatment programme and 15 rehabilitation requirement days. He must pay £239 in fines, surcharges and costs.

Mrs McVey added: “This a very serious offence because it is your second in a number of months. You’ve already got 10 points on your licence. We will be adding another 10 points which makes you a totter and therefore disqualified for six months from driving.

“You’re asking for help so here it is being handed to you. Work with them [probation].”