AN 18-YEAR-OLD who rode his moped while over the legal alcohol limit – and carried a passenger who was not wearing a crash helmet – has been fined £2,100 and banned from driving for a year for his “selfish and foolish” behaviour.
The Magistrate’s Court also heard that Oscar McPhee did not have a valid licence or insurance for the vehicle when he was arrested on 2 September.
St Helier Centenier Paul Davies said that police officers had seen McPhee riding a grey Honda moped on Trinity Hill just after midnight and stopped him because his passenger was not wearing a helmet.
The court heard that the officers noticed McPhee seemed to be swaying as he spoke to them and he was arrested. A breath test showed he had 47 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – above the legal maximum of 35 micrograms.
McPhee also consented to a blood test, which gave a reading of 98 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal driving limit is 80 milligrams.
Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke told McPhee: “What you chose to do on that evening was selfish and foolish. You took a passenger when you had been drinking. There could have been serious repercussions.”
Mr Clarke fined him £1,000 for riding the moped while over the limit, another £1,000 for having no licence or insurance, and £100 for carrying a passenger who did not wear a helmet. McPhee will also have to retake his driving test after the one-year ban has lapsed.
