Asa Venton was driving through St Peter’s Valley shortly before 1am on 22 June when he crashed his Ford Fiesta into a bank. He was found to be over twice the legal alcohol limit.
Centenier João Camara told the court how police were called to a single-vehicle crash on Vallée de St Pierre and on arrival found Venton and his mother standing next to the vehicle. He added that he had called his mother after the incident.
‘The PC who spoke to the driver recognised him and had spoken to him before. He could smell intoxicating liquor and requested a breath sample and a fail was provided,’ he said.
‘He was arrested and then placed into a police vehicle and taken to the station where his detention was authorised. He later provided a lower breath sample reading of 87mg in 100ml of breath.’
The legal limit is 35mg.
Mr Camara also said that Venton had one previous conviction for drink-driving two years ago but added that he had been ‘polite, honest and upfront’ with police.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw said that the defendant had a very ‘unenviable record’.
‘You are only 21 years old and you cannot have been driving for very long, yet you have managed to find yourself drink-driving and considerably over the limit, which is wholly unacceptable,’ she said.
‘Although you are very young the court will be considering custody but will also be considering community service.
‘You are disqualified from today’s date but the term of disqualification will be decided at a later date. But it will be three years minimum as this is your second offence in ten years.’
Venton, who lives in St Peter, was bailed and is due to reappear in court on 23 July.
