A DRINK driver who was reported to the police for repeatedly circling a roundabout claimed he was showing his son the new road layout on the A133.
Francois De Jesus, 53, was stopped by police on June 30 in Elmstead, where a new link road between the A120 and A133 was opened earlier this summer.
Officers attended the scene after they were told De Jesus had been “constantly driving round the roundabout”, Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard.
Rece Penfold, prosecuting, said: “The defendant confirmed he had consumed alcohol.
“The defendant provided a roadside breath test which gave a positive reading of 76mcg per 100ml.
“This defendant has no previous convictions and is previously of good character.
“The defendant was carrying a passenger at the time.”
The legal drink drive limit is 35mcg per 100ml.
De Jesus told the court he believed he could drive because he has a provisional licence.
Attending court unrepresented, he said: “Normally, we don’t do anything like this – it was a bad choice at the time.
“My son and I had been discussing a new road layout.
“With certain events going on in the family, we thought we would take a bit of a break and take a bit of a look.
“It’s a new road that had been built – we were investigating how the road had been developed and how it could be travelled on.
“It was a bad choice at the time.”
When asked by the legal advisor whether a driving ban would affect him, he said: “I don’t think it’s going to affect me, because I’m smart – I can work around it.”
De Jesus, of Victoria Chase, Colchester, admitted one charge each of drink driving and driving without a licence.
Magistrates banned De Jesus from driving for 17 months, which will be reduced by 17 weeks if he attends a drink drive awareness course.
He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £48 surcharge.
The total of £253 will be deducted from his universal credit payments.
No separate penalty was made for driving without a licence.
Share