After pleading guilty to drink-driving offences, two local people were disqualified from driving and fined when they appeared in the Magistrates’ Court this morning (Monday).

Jonathan Alman, 51, of the Laguna Estate, was disqualified for 18 months and fined £500. 

At around midnight on Friday 14 July 2023, officers on patrol on Smith Dorrien Avenue observed a Honda Accord being driven at high speed on to Line Wall Road.  When the driver was stopped near the Capurro Garage, officers smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath and he was asked to take a roadside breath test which gave a reading of 63ug.

After being arrested on suspicion of Driving with Alcohol over the Limit, Alman was tested on the evidential equipment at New Mole House which gave a reading of 60ug.  The limit is 35ug.

In a separate case, Jayrene Patterson, 20, of the Upper Town was disqualified for six months and fined £500.

In the early hours of this morning (17 July 2023) officers conducting a DriveSafe operation on Devils Tower Road stopped a Yamaha motorcycle being ridden by Patterson as it had been travelling at an excessive speed.  As she was being given a Fixed Penalty Notice for her speed, officers smelled alcohol on her breath and she was asked to take a roadside test which gave a reading of 51ug.  She was arrested and taken to New Mole House.

On the evidential equipment, she provided two specimens of breath, the lower one of which was 47ug so she was charged with Driving with Alcohol Concentration over the Limit.

A spokesman for the Royal Gibraltar Police, said: “We’d like to send a clear message to drivers that they are putting themselves and others at significant risk when getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

“We want to stress to everyone that alcohol affects everyone differently and any amount can impair someone’s ability to drive. The only safe option is to avoid alcohol completely if you’re driving - even ‘just one drink’ could put you over the limit.’

If anyone has concerns about a person drink-driving, they can call the RGP in confidence on 200 72500 or 199 in emergencies.