(Trinidad Express) A man charged four times with driving under the influence of alcohol has been jailed and permanently disqualified from driving.
Vishal Ramnarine, who had his driver’s permit taken away at a previous court hearing, was found driving while intoxicated last Sunday morning.
He faced two offences before San Fernando Senior Magistrate Jo-Anne Connor on Monday.
Police prosecutor Sgt Harold Ishmael said that around 10.20 a.m. on Sunday, Constable Nathoo and other officers were on patrol along M2 Ring Road when they saw a grey Honda Civic exit Papourie Road.
As it neared the police vehicle, the Civic started swerving, Ishmael said.
The officers stopped the car and, on approaching it, saw the driver climb into the back seat.
While speaking to Ramnarine, Nathoo found his speech was slurred and there was the strong scent of alcohol on his breath.
When asked for his driver’s permit Ramnarine said he did not have one as it was taken by the court after he was disqualified from driving in the past.
A breath test done soon after at San Fernando police station showed that he had a reading of 103 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Nathoo charged him with driving under the influence and driving while disqualified.
Ramnarine had one pending and two convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was disqualified from driving by the court in June last year after he drove while under the influence of alcohol.
Connor sentenced him to nine months’ hard labour on each of the two offences committed last Sunday.
She also permanently disqualified him from driving.