A 54-YEAR-OLD man drove while at almost twice the legal alcohol limit after getting ‘carried away by the atmosphere’ at the Portuguese Food Festival, according to his defence advocate.
The Magistrate’s Court heard yesterday that Nelio De Sousa drove along Green Street on the evening of 27 August and hit another car on the way.
St Helier Centenier Paul Huelin said that when the police went to the defendant’s home he first claimed that his wife had been driving.
He then said: ‘I want to know who grassed on me. Who told you I was at the festival?’
A breath test gave a reading of 66 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Advocate Sarah Dale, defending, said De Sousa had gone to the festival to buy food.
She explained: ‘Mr De Sousa has made a real effort and had not drunk alcohol for the last ten years or so.
‘But he got carried away by the atmosphere, and catching up with friends, and drank some sangria.’
She added that De Sousa was on incapacity benefit and was unable to work due to several medical conditions: ‘He is not able to walk far and needs his car to attend appointments.’
However, Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris banned him from driving for 16 months and fined him £2,200.
He also ordered him to retake the Jersey driving test afterwards before he can drive again.
