£1,000 fine for rugby star in drink-drive prank on a buggy

Wales international rugby star Andy Powell was banned from driving for 15 months after pleading guilty to driving a golf buggy while unfit through drink.

Powell, 28, was arrested at a motorway service station at junction 33 of the M4 hours after Wales had beaten Scotland in a Six Nations clash.

He was taken into custody with another man in the early hours of February 14 near the Wales team hotel in the Vale of Glamorgan. Powell's arrest and the subsequent publicity surrounding the incident saw him dropped from the Wales team the following day.

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The player pleaded guilty when he made his first appearance at Cardiff Magistrates' Court.

His lawyer Conrad Gadd told the court he had already admitted he had been "foolish", adding: "He is regretful that any young boy who may see him as a hero might think this behaviour is acceptable and he wants to make it plain that it isn't."

As well as the 15-month ban, Powell was fined 1,000 and ordered to pay 85 costs and a 15 victim surcharge. He was ordered to go on a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

The court heard that Powell had driven from the team hotel along the hard shoulder of the M4 to the service station in search of food.

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Katy Pidgeon, prosecuting, told the court that when police officers confronted him, referring to his companion, he told them: "This is not his fault, it was my idea, I was driving. I'm an idiot, I know." Ms Pidgeon said: "It was noted his speech was slurred and his breath smelt strongly of intoxicants."

After Powell was arrested and cautioned he told officers: "I was going down the M4 in a golf buggy, I'm a professional rugby player, what have I done?"

Powell told police he had driven the buggy as a prank and went to the service station to get "munchies" for his friends.

When he was breathalysed, tests showed he had 58 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Mr Gadd said Powell being ejected from the Wales squad was a "tremendous blow" for the Cardiff Blues player, he was "in limbo" over his future and had taken a pay cut.