Photographs captured the moment a driving instructor under the influence crashed his vehicle into a ditch while en route to a lesson. Timothy Howells, a 54-year-old instructor with RED Driving School, was discovered to be four times over the legal limit in his school-branded VW Polo when authorities arrived at the scene following the incident on the A484 between Pembrey and Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire.

Witnesses observed Howells stuck in the ditch and filmed him peering out of the driver’s side window. A passing motorist can be heard in a video reprimanding him for his actions. Despite this, Howells avoided an immediate eight-week jail term for his offense, with the court instead opting to suspend the sentence for 18 months. However, he was handed a 30-month driving ban after pleading guilty to the charge of driving under the influence.

After his arrest, Howells confessed that he was on his way to pick up a student for a driving lesson at the time of the collision. Law enforcement reported that Howells, a self-employed franchisee working with RED Driving School, provided breath test readings of 110 and 132 at the scene and in custody, respectively, indicating a significant level of intoxication.

Notably, Howells’ suspension from driving for 30 months also means he cannot continue his work as a driving instructor during this period, impacting his livelihood. Following the court proceedings, Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Inspector Christina Fraser emphasized the breach of trust by Howells and highlighted the swift action taken to protect the public from the potential dangers posed by his actions.

RED Driving School, recognized as a leading trainer of driving instructors in the UK, has refrained from commenting on the incident when approached by media outlets. The company, awarded the title of national driving school of the year in 2021, has chosen not to respond to inquiries from Wales Online at this time.