A father of three who told a San Fernando magistrate he did not know that drinking four beers would put him over the legal 35 microgrammes alcohol limit was fined $1,800 for driving while under the influence yesterday.
Brian Beharry, 37, of Blitz Village, Pleasantville, pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before Magistrate Natalie Diop in the San Fernando Traffic Court yesterday.
He was represented by attorney Analee Girwar.
According to the facts read by court prosecutor Sgt Dianath Harricharan, Beharry was stopped while driving along the Guaracara/Tabaquite Main Road on Saturday around 11.20 pm during a road traffic exercise.
He was asked to submit to a breathalyser test and he agreed. He tested 53 microgrammes, 18 microgrammes over the legal 35 microgrammes limit.
He was then arrested and charged.
In court yesterday, Girwar told the court her client was a father of three and worked as an air-conditioning technician.
She said Beharry was helping out his sister by picking up some of her friends that night in Hardbargain, Williamsville. She said when Beharry reached into Reform Village, his passengers urged him to stop at a bar.
Girwar said his intention was to drink two beers and stop but he was persuaded to have two more by his passengers.
She pleaded for a non-custodial sentence for Beharry, noting it was his first offence before the courts.
Diop agreed Beharry should be given a non-custodial sentence but told him his crime was a very serious one. She said that driving under the influence often led to either the driver’s or other people’s death or property damage.
Diop fined him $1,800 or in default 15 days simple imprisonment. He was allowed 15 days to pay the fine.