£3k fine for van driver who "hadn't realised he was drunk"

Wednesday 22 March 2023

An uninsured civil engineer who drunkenly drove his work van to a garage shop - and was found with cannabis when arrested - has been banned from driving and fined £3,000.

The Magistrate's Court heard yesterday that Gary Miller took the van to drive from the Hotel Ambassadeur in St. Clement to Roberts Garage along Grève D'Azette at 19:20 on Monday evening.

Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was seen by a member of the public and appeared to be unsteady on his feet. He was seen knocking items off a shelf [at the garage].

"Then he got in a white van and drove back to the hotel."

After being arrested and breathalysed, he gave a reading of 64 micrograms of alcohol in 100 milligrams of breath – almost twice the legal maximum of 35 micrograms.

Miller was also found in possession of about £10 worth of cannabis resin.

He said his employer, who owned the van, had allowed him to drive it.

But he admitted driving while over the alcohol limit and without insurance, and possessing a class B drug.

Advocate Emma Hollywood, defending, said Miller had been working in Jersey as a civil engineer since November but had been at home in Scotland for Mother's Day and had been drinking that evening and at the Airport before the flight back to the island.

"He hadn't realised he was drunk," she said.

The advocate added: "He pleaded guilty, he was co-operative with the breath test and he was co-operative in interview.

"He didn't realise that he wasn't insured for the van.

"It was an act of stupidity, not malice. He has assured me he will never do anything like this again."

Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris told him: 'You aren't the first person, and you won't be the last, to say: "I thought I was okay to drive".' He fined him £2,000 for drink-driving and £1,000 for driving without insurance, and imposed the 20-month driving ban.

For the possession of cannabis he received a six month binding over order.