A MOTORIST who drove with three passengers in his car while at least twice over the legal drink-drive limit has been jailed for five months, in accordance with his wishes.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw told Richard Beaumont as she sentenced him: ‘This was a tragedy that nearly happened.’
The Magistrate’s Court heard that Beaumont (56) had driven along St Andrew’s Road on the afternoon of 23 July last year with three passengers. All of them had been drinking.
Advocate Adam Harrison, prosecuting, said the States police stopped Beaumont at 2.30pm. When he was breathalysed two hours later at police headquarters he gave a reading of 76 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal maximum is 35 micrograms.
He denied the offence of drinking and driving but was found guilty after a trial.
Advocate Sarah Dale, defending, said Beaumont had only been in Jersey temporarily and planned to return to the UK on his release.
She said: ‘The reason he was here was to help his former partner care for their daughter after his former partner received a terminal diagnosis. He was here to provide both practical and emotional support.’ She said that Beaumont’s partner had died in December.
She added: ‘Mr Beaumont has come to the difficult decision that he would rather serve a period of custody than carry out a community service order, and get on with his life afterwards in the UK.’
Advocate Shaw agreed to the request. She also banned him from driving in Jersey for three years but noted that he did not plan to return to the Island in any case.
As he has been unemployed since the offence she did not make an order for costs.
As he left the court he said: ‘I’d just like to say I’m very, very sorry for wasting your time.’
