A driver who was almost four times the legal limit when tested by police told officers he had drunk vodka after a serious three-car car crash, a court has been told.

Tony John Gemmer, of New Road, Newcastle Emlyn, also claimed his drunk passenger had grabbed the steering wheel before the smash and then handed the 29-year-old the bottle of booze.

Gemmer, 29, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath sample following the crash at Cei Bach on June 29.

Aberystwyth magistrates heard how Gemmer's Toyota Celica collided with two other vehicles on an unclassified road in the early hours of the morning.

The crash resulting in a number of injuries to those involved.

When police who arrived at the scene Gemmer was unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred speech. The officers noted a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.

A roadside breath test gave gave a reading of 129 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.

Gemmer was taken to the police station, but failed to provide a specimen a further specimen for analysis.

Ellie Morgan, prosecuting, said: "He was described as pretending to blow and puffing his cheeks out, then giving short samples which is not sufficient."

Ms Morgan said Gemmer then put one finger over his nostril and blew out of the other with the tube in his mouth.

She told the court Gemmer had a previous driving motoring conviction in the past ten years, and was subject to a community order for assaulting a police officer at the time latest offence.

She said: "It was a deliberate refusal, deliberate avoidance of procedure."

Alan Lewis, defending, said the roadside test was "not evidential".

He said: "He accepts he had been drinking, but does not accept the level of the reading referred to.

"His passenger had drunk an awful lot of alcohol and grabbed the steering wheel before the accident."

Mr Lewis said the passenger had a bottle of vodka which Gemmer drank from after the collision.

He said: "He suffered rib injury and pain and says it was difficult to blow.

"He accepts he has a problem with alcohol and does binge drink.

"He is genuinely remorseful."

Magistrates imposed a community order consisting of six rehabilitation activity requirement days, 120 hours of unpaid work and 20 thinking skills sessions.

He was banned from driving for 48 months and ordered to pay £170 in court costs and charges.