Rugby player’s ‘monumentally foolish decision’

A RUGBY player made the “monumentally foolish decision” to drive home from the pub after drinking following a game.

Llanelli RFC first team regular Ryan Thomas drove more than 18 miles, including along the M4, and continued on his way even after losing two tyres from his car.

Police caught up with the Tata Steel worker just as he was arriving home and an officer saw him colliding with railings on the street where he lived.

Swansea Crown Court heard that on September 5 this year the defendant drove to Felinfoel for a pre-season friendly match.

After the game he drove a number of teammates into Llanelli for a night out.

He then set off for home in Neath – a journey of around 18 miles.

The court heard witnesses later saw the 32-year-old’s Ford Focus driving on two flat tyres before the tyres came off altogether and the car continued on its alloy rims – gouging marks in the road as it went.

Fellow motorists called the police and reported what was going on, and officers went to the defendant’s address in Neath.

While there, they saw him colliding with railings as he arrived at his house.

David Singh, prosecuting, said Thomas failed a roadside breath test and was cautioned and arrested, telling officers: “I drove home.”

The defendant “remained silent” during his subsequent interview and an evidential test in the police station showed he had 63mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Thomas, of Pearson Way, Penrhiwtyn, Neath, admitted drink-driving and dangerous driving. He has no previous convictions.

Rhodri Chudleigh, for Thomas, said the defendant worked for Tata Steel and had been a first-team player for Llanelli for the past three years.

He said that due to the Covid pandemic and having a young child, the defendant had not been out for some time and on the night in question “alcohol got the better of him”.

The advocate said Thomas realised he had made a “serious error of judgement” in getting behind the wheel after drinking with teammates, and was now off work and had not played for Llanelli since the incident.

He that added a number of letters and character references had been submitted to the court on his client’s behalf, including one from former Wales rugby international and Llanelli RFC stalwart Anthony Buchanan.

Judge Huw Rees told Thomas he could have caused an accident driving in a car that was clearly not roadworthy and any crash could have caused serious injuries or even fatalities.

He said when the defendant set off for the pre-season match on the day in question he had a stable family and a stable job which allowed him to provide for his new child, but by his “monumentally foolish decision” to drive he had put all that at risk.

He said: “This is one of the most foolish cases I have heard in a long time.”

Judge Davies told Thomas he needed to get back to playing rugby and back to working to support his family.

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas, Thomas was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course and do 120 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He was banned from driving for 18 months and must pass an extended test before he can get his licence back.