Four months after he was disqualified from driving on his second conviction for drunk driving conviction, Barry Dabie took a chance to ply his car for hire to make some money to pay off his court fine.
That turned out to be a bad decision as he was arrested by one of his passenger’s, a police officer, who smelt alcohol on Dabie’s breath.
Yesterday Dabie, 48, was sentenced to a total of 23 months in jail by San Fernando Traffic Court Magistrate Natalie Diop after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and driving while disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s permit.
He was also permanently disqualified from driving.
Dabie was arrested on Sunday at San Fernando Siparia Erin Road, Debe.
Prosecutor Sgt Kassiram Lutchman said around 7.10 pm PC Guerra was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Dabie when he detected a strong scent on alcohol on Dabie’s breath.
Guerra identified himself as a police officer and took Dabie to the Debe Police Post where he requested his driving documents. Dabie replied: “Officer I was banned from driving so I does pay somebody to drive.”
He also admitted to drinking two beers.
The lowest reading on three breathalyser tests conducted on him was 50 microgrammes, which is 15 microgrammes over the legal limit.
Dabie who represented himself pleaded for leniency.
He said he was not working and used his car as a form of income.
Dabie said since he was disqualified from driving in August someone worked his car for him, but on Sunday he took a chance to drive because he was in financial debt.
The magistrate said the court system showed he was convicted on a drunk driving charge in November, last year and was fined $8,000 or six months in jail.
Dabie, who is not married and has no children, said he paid off that fine.
She said the system also showed another conviction for a similar offence in August where he was fined $15,000 or three years in jail.
Dabie said he applied for an extension to pay that fine and was given until January, next year, to pay the fine.
The magistrate said in circumstances where a person registers a third conviction the law becomes very harsh with the intention of sending a clear message that that conduct would not at all be tolerated.
She said there was an expectation that the law must be respected and obeyed.
On the drunk driving charge she sentenced him to 18 months in prison and disqualified him from ever again holding or obtaining a driver’s permit.
On the other charge he was sentenced to five months in jail. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently so he would serve 18 months in prison.