A KIDDERMINSTER rugby player and primary school teacher told a court how he was "embarrassed" and "ashamed" to be caught drink driving.

Rhys Pritchard, who plays for the Kidderminster Carolians RFC and teaches PE at St George's Primary School, had gone out to enjoy an evening of food and drink when officers pulled him over on Load Street, Bewdley, on June 28.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said the first XV team player was given a roadside breath test, which he failed, before he was arrested and taken to the police station to give an official reading of 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - above the legal limit of 35mcg.

In mitigation, the bench at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court heard how the 27-year-old had been through stresses at home caring for his father 24 hours a day and having to give his mother support through his father's debilitating condition.

As a 'night off', Pritchard said he was "going to go out and have a good time". But the court heard that because he hadn't drunk for such a long time, it had affected him more than usual, and he said had he known, he would have got a taxi and not driven.

Pritchard, who is also studying a Masters in sports coaching at Cardiff University part time, then approached the bench personally in an unusual move to apologise for his behaviour.

He said: "I am extremely sorry that I am here taking up your time.

"I am extremely embarrassed.

"My coaching and my teaching and my Masters together are obviously going to be affected by this and I am pleading guilty because I have done wrong.

"I am ashamed for what I have done."

The court heard that he was going to have to give up his Masters and his primary teaching job as he would no longer be able to travel to them without the use of a car.

Pritchard, of Osborne Close, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to drink driving when he appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, July 16.

Chairman of the magistrates Charles Townsend banned Pritchard from driving for 12 months, with the option to reduce that disqualification by 12 weeks by undertaking a drink drive rehabilitation course.

He also ordered the defendant to pay a £375 fine, £150 in court charges, £85 towards prosecution costs, and a £37 victim surcharge.