Labour candidate has been convicted of drink-driving

THE leader of a council’s Labour group has defended a decision to allow a candidate to stand for election despite being convicted of driving when nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit.

Daniel Metcalf, 27, is standing in the Johnston ward of Pembrokeshire County Council on May 5.

In January, Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard how he had made the “catastrophic” decision to drive home after playing pool in a pub when he couldn’t find a taxi.

At 12.50am police officers saw Mr Metcalf’s car behind them with no headlights on.

They pulled his car over and could smell alcohol on him.

Mr Metcalf, a web designer who lives six miles from Milford Haven in the village of Sardis, tested positive for being over the permitted alcohol limit both at the roadside and at the police station.

He measured 97 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Mr Metcalf pleaded guilty to one charge of drink driving at Milford Haven.

In mitigation his solicitor Mike Kelleher said with the nature of the offence it was fortunate that his client works from home.

Mr Kelleher told magistrates: “He’d taken the car into town and was going to take a taxi home but took the catastrophic decision to drive.

“He will feel the effects of that catastrophic decision for a long time.”

Probation officer Julie Norman told the court how Metcalf came to be driving his car: “The defendant was playing pool in Milford Haven.

He said he wandered around for a while looking for a taxi. When he did not find one he made the silly decision to get in his car.”

Mr Metcalf lost his licence for two years and was made subject to 200 hours of unpaid work.

He also paid £85 costs and a £95 surcharge.

The conviction has been raised during the election campaign.

Mr Metcalf has written a Facebook post in which states: “I’m already disheartened to see some campaigns take swipes and pick at points of personal details on other campaigns instead of actually promoting the positives of their own.

“If the key message you want to tell voters is something about your opponent then maybe that’s a substitute for a lack of substance in your own offering.

“Let’s stop trying to knock other candidates down and let’s show people what we can do to help the place we would love to represent.”

Cllr Paul Miller, leader of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Labour group, said: “Daniel made a mistake and I have no doubt that he will learn from the experience.

“He didn’t try to conceal his court appearance from the party and admitted that what he had done was wrong.

“He is a very good candidate who knows the community well and I made the decision, in consultation with others, that he should carry on.”

Johnston is currently represented by an Independent councillor who is not standing for re-election.

As well as Mr Metcalf, the seat will be contested by an Independent and a Conservative.