Jose Pereira Gouveia (26), of Minden Place, was stopped on Mount Bingham and when breathalysed at police headquarters he was found to have 112 mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcg.
Centenier David Webber said that at 4.50 pm on Sunday 9 December police officers were driving on the St Clement’s Coast Road towards Mount Bingham when they noticed a white Renault Clio with the brake lights on. The car then pulled over without indicating. When an officer got out to speak to the driver, he suspected Gouveia was under the influence and so the defendant was taken to police headquarters. The court heard that Gouveia was driving a company car at the time.
At a previous hearing the court was told that Gouveia had only lived in the Island for a month and initially came with his girlfriend. However, she could not get a job and now lives in France with their child.
A probation officer said that the offence was a ‘one off’ and there was no suggestion of aggravating factors that needed further exploration. She said that the defendant was due to start a new job in early January.
In sentencing, Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris said that the level of alcohol was in the highest category and would normally result in a prison sentence. However, he accepted that there was no accident, there was a guilty plea and the defendant had no previous convictions.
