A MOPED rider who told the police he had not been drinking – but was shortly afterwards seen to be stumbling about – has been sentenced to 110 hours of community service.
A breath test showed that Barry Earl Johnston (56) had 93 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when he was arrested on 7 July – almost three times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
He was banned from the roads for 2½ years and put on probation for six months.
St Brelade Centenier Amanda Wright, prosecuting, told the Magistrate’s Court that Johnston was stopped by the police while riding a blue moped on La Neuve Route in St Brelade at 5.50pm, and asked if he had been drinking.
He said he had not, but 15 minutes later police received concerned reports about his driving. They went to his home and the Centenier said: ‘Mr Johnston was stumbling around outside his property. He seemed unsteady on his feet and was confused.’
He was arrested at 7.30pm. The court heard that Johnston had a previous conviction for drinking and driving in Sussex, dating back to 2004.
Delivering the sentence, Magistrate Bridget Shaw told him: ‘You, more than most people, should know not to try and drive if you’ve been drinking.’
