A 38-YEAR-OLD man has been handed 120 hours of community service and been disqualified from driving for four years after being caught drink-driving for the second time.
Sean William Gavy McGahey appeared at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to be sentenced for a single count of driving while over the legal alcohol limit.
Legal advisor Kerry Grieve, prosecuting, said a member of the public witnessed the defendant “stagger into a vehicle” parked in St Helier on 31 March 2026.
McGahey was then “immediately” reported to the police after being seen to drive away in a Black Audi A4, the court heard.
Officers then intercepted the car on La Motte street at “around ten past midnight”, Ms Grieve said.
She added: “Having been eventually stopped, the police – who had seen the vehicle swerving in the road and taking some time to come to a stop – confirmed the driver as the defendant.
“[The defendant] was seen unsteady on his feet and with slurred speech.
“He was asked a quick question before completing a roadside breath-test.
“The result was a fail and the defendant was arrested at 00.19 hours on suspicion of driving while over the legal alcohol limit.”
It was heard that McGahey’s first breath test returned alcohol levels over 2x over the legal threshold, while a second test taken at the station provided a lower reading still in excess of the alcohol limit.
The prosecutor said the defendant had one relevant previous conviction for the same offence in 2017.
Advocate Chris Baglin, defending, accepted the facts of the case but pointed out that his client was observed to have been only “gently swerving” on the road by police officers.
He added that it had now been nine years since McGahey appeared before the court for drink-driving, and said that references provided by his ex-partner and employer “speak to a man who is otherwise making a positive contribution to the community”.
Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu, presiding, said the defendant had been driving at “more than double the limit” with a “very high level of alcohol in the breath”.
“I’m going to say you’ve come very close to receiving a custodial sentence,” he said. “But I have decided to deal with this by way of an alternative.”
He placed the 38-year-old on probation for a period of 12 months and handed him 120 hours of community service.
McGahey was also disqualified from driving for four years and told that he “must take a re-test” before being allowed to drive again.
