A 57-year-old motorcyclist who had stayed off alcohol for three years has been banned from the roads after what his lawyer described as a “foolish decision”.
Paulo Jorge Jardim Dos Santos was caught riding his motorcycle while more than twice the legal drink-drive limit on 14 December.
St Helier Centenier Danny Scaife, prosecuting, told the Magistrate’s Court that concerned members of the public called police at 11.25pm that night after seeing Dos Santos attempting to get on his motorcycle in Minden Place car park.
He told officers he wasn’t going to use it – but by 12.30am, the bike was gone, and CCTV showed him riding away. It was later found at his home.
When he was arrested, he was found to have 174 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – over double the legal maximum of 80 milligrams.
Dos Santos pleaded guilty. His lawyer, Advocate Chris Baglin, said he had not drunk alcohol for three years before that night and accepted he had made a “foolish decision”.
“He’s a grown man,” he said.
Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu decided to ban him from the roads for 20 months and ruled he must retake his driving test before being allowed back.
He was also sentenced to 90 hours of community service and fined £150.