Drink Driver banned, fined and "left very poor" for a few weeks

Tuesday 24 July 2018

A drink driver who was taken off the roads for three years and fined £600 has been left with just £20 a week to live off while she pays off her debt.

Guernsey's Magistates's Court yesterday heard that Sintija Solovjova was seen driving a black Audi A1 in Fountain Street in the early hours of 2 June.

The officers followed and eventually pulled the car over, with Ms Solovjova initially telling officers she had drunk a single pint of cider, before quickly admitting it was actually three pints. A road side breath test showed she was just over twice the legal limit.

Judge Cherry McMillian told the defendant she gave her credit for her early guilty plea, and accepted this was out of character.

“You had twice the legal limit of alcohol, your judgement was impaired, you were a risk to yourself and more importantly to others, and to compound it, you did not have insurance or a license. How would you feel if someone in your family was knocked down by someone over the legal limit. What on earth were you thinking?”

For the drink drive charge, a £500 fine and a three year disqualification was imposed, a £200 fine for not having insurance and a £50 fine for not having a license. A concurrent ban of one year was also imposed.

All wages from her job at L’Eree Bay Hotel, except £20, must be paid to the courts when she is paid next week. The balance must be paid on the following pay day. 

Judge McMillian said this would leave Ms Solovjova “very poor” for the next five weeks, but this should help emphasise the seriousness of the offence.