The court heard that Louis Griffiths, 35, of Rue Mignot, St Martin’s, was stopped by police in Fountain Street at 12.45am because of a lighting defect with his car. Officers could smell alcohol on his breath and he failed a roadside breath test. An evidential one at the Police Station following his arrested showed 77 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath, twice the legal limit.
Defending, Advocate Sarah Morgan said her client had been drinking earlier that day and had mistakenly thought he would be alright to drive.
Judge Gary Perry said penalties had had to go up as an increasing number of people thought it it was acceptable to drink-drive and an element of deterrence was needed for others. He fined him £1,100 and banned him from driving for three years.
A few hours later, Lewis Edgar, 29, of Les Pages, St Martin’s, was stopped in a police check near his home at 7.45am. He failed a roadside breath test and an evidential one taken later gave a reading of 46mcg.
Advocate Morgan said her client had been drinking alcohol the previous night and was surprised to find himself over the limit at that time of the morning. He had left for work without having breakfast.
Judge Perry said the reason that police were running a drink-drive campaign was because there were too many drink-drivers on the roads. Edgar was fined £700 and had his licence suspended for 18 months.