A MAN who told the police that he would not give them a breath sample despite having been asked repeatedly to do so has been banned from the roads for 21 months and sentenced to 90 hours of community service.
Rollo Churton (35) also failed to provide his driving licence and insurance documents within a week of his arrest, for which he was also fined £300.
The Magistrate’s Court heard that officers had received reports of a car narrowly missing a pedestrian and a road bank as it was driven through St Brelade on the evening of 27 July.
St Brelade Centenier Amanda Wright, prosecuting, said the police went to the house where Churton was staying and added: “They did form the impression that he was the driver and they did form the impression that he was drunk.”
But he refused to provide a breath sample, telling them: “You can ask as much as you like, but I won’t be providing.”
He was taken to police headquarters and Ms Wright said: “He became argumentative and still refused to provide a breath sample.”
The court heard that Churton had been living in Indonesia before coming to live with family in Jersey and only possessed an Indonesian driving licence.
Advocate Paul Nicholls, defending Churton, conceded: “There was no reasonable excuse for behaving as he did.
“He apologises for not being more co-operative with the police.”
As well as the ban and the community service order, Relief Magistrate Peter Harris said Churton must retake his driving test before being allowed to drive in the Island again.
