Two men were banned from the roads after pleading guilty to drink driving offences at the Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

In the first case, Shaun Balban, 47, of Montagu Gardens, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work, after pleading guilty to Driving with Alcohol Concentration Over Limit.

The court heard how Balban had been drinking in the Lions FC Bar on Queensway Road just after midnight on Sunday 9 October last year.

He then decided to ride his Yamaha N-Max home to Montagu Gardens.

At 0025, RGP officers patrolling in a police van near Queensway spotted Balban taking an unusual amount of time waiting at the Kings Bastion traffic lights, which had changed to green. 

Officers activated their police beacons and sirens but he continued until stopping at the next set of traffic lights, appearing oblivious to the police van behind it. He then continued to ride once the traffic lights had changed to green, as the police van continued to follow him with the lights and sirens activated.

The vehicle eventually stopped at Devils Tongue Road and on speaking to Balban, officers noted a strong smell of alcoholic drink and that he was unstable sitting on his motorbike.

He then stated he had been drinking alcohol and blew 107ug on the roadside breath test – the legal limit being 35ug. He was arrested and later blew 96ug on the evidential breath test machine at New Mole House.

In the second case heard before the courts yesterday, Alberto Antonio de la Torre Garcia, 35, of Avenida Espana, La Linea, was fined £400 and banned from driving for six months, after pleading guilty to Driving with Alcohol Concentration Over Limit.

His arrest came just before 1am on Saturday 10 December last month, when he was stopped for speeding northbound on Winston Churchill Avenue.

On speaking to Garcia, officers noticed a smell of alcoholic drink on his breath. He then confirmed he had “had a couple of drinks” before blowing 51ug on the roadside breath test.

He was arrested and later blew 43ug on the evidential breath test machine at New Mole House.

If anyone has concerns about a person driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you can call the RGP in confidence on 200 72500 or 199 in emergencies.