Rui Ribeiro Reguengo (39) appeared for sentencing before the Relief Magistrate, Sarah Fitz, after pleading guilty to one charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Police legal adviser Kate Ridley, prosecuting, told the court that another driver had noticed a car with a Citi Cabs sign travelling along Victoria Avenue from Beaumont on 14 September at about 11pm while occasionally weaving and hitting the pavement.
The other driver contacted the cab company, she said, and was told the driver associated with that car was not working that night.
The driver followed the vehicle into St Helier and called the police when Reguengo parked outside a property. Reguengo was given a breathalyser test, which he failed.
Analysis of his breath sample later showed a reading of 79mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. Th legal limit is 35mg. Reguengo told officers he had attended a wedding and called a taxi as he had drunk about five small beers, but none were available for an hour, so he made the decision to drive home.
Advocate Alexander English, defending, told the court his client had already lost his livelihood as a result of this incident.
He added Reguengo never had the intention to drink-drive, the action had been ‘entirely out of character’ and his client had very real remorse.
On sentencing, Mrs Fitz noted the defendant’s excellent references and early guilty plea and that he had been assessed at low risk for reoffending.
He must retake his driving test at the end of his disqualification period.
