checkpoint, Magistrates' Court heard.

The car was driven by Kelly Lynn Amaral, who officers believed was driving dangerously and at speeds of between 80 and 100 kph.

Charmaine Smith, prosecuting, said officers were conducting spot checks on Crow Lane when they saw two cars coming towards them, racing.

The car on the right hand side swerved into the left hand lane, in front of the other vehicle.

When officers signalled for the car to stop, it started to brake but was unable to stop, causing one of the three officers to jump aside to avoid the car, said Mrs. Smith.

When Amaral, 21, of Radnor Road, Hamilton, stepped out of the car, officers observed that she was unsteady on her feet.

Amaral pleaded guilty to driving a car in a dangerous manner.

Amaral, who was unrepresented in court, said she wasn't racing and was driving at speeds of no more than 60kph.

She also disputed the officers' version that she had trouble in braking when signalled by the officers.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis banned Amaral from driving private cars for 12 months and fined her $500.

`BUTTOCK PINCHING' CALLED ACCEPTABLE CTS `Buttock pinching' called acceptable A Pembroke parish man told a magistrate "buttock pinching'' was an accepted greeting.

The 23-year-old painter, whose name cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and unlawful assault with bodily harm.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith told the court that on the evening of April 15 the man pinched the buttock of a female pedestrian as he was riding toward his home.

The two, who knew each other, began to argue and the man later parked his motorcycle to confront the woman.

The defendant then allegedly pushed the woman in the face, held her in a headlock, and threw her to the ground, said Mrs. Smith.

Police later took the woman to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where she was treated for grazes and bruises to the back of her head.

But yesterday the man told Magistrate Edward King he had known the complainant for six years and had frequently pinched her buttocks.

And duty counsel Tyrone Chin said the man claimed the woman had frequently grabbed his groin in the past and asked for sexual favours.

According to the man, Mr. Chin said, the woman's injuries were sustained when she "unfortunately fell back''.

Mr. King set the man's bail at $1,000 and ordered a social inquiry report to be carried out on him.

The man is scheduled to return to court on June 22 for sentencing.

ENVELOPE IN CAR CONTAINED CANNABIS CTS Envelope in car contained cannabis A search of a Warwick man's car revealed an envelope containing a small amount of cannabis, Magistrates' Court heard.

Ryan Ball, 25, of Rocklands Road, pleaded guilty to cannabis possession.

Sgt. Wilbert McLean, prosecuting, said Ball's car was stopped on Crow Lane by Police officers conducting spot checks.

Subsequent analysis of the plant type material revealed 0.76 grams of cannabis.

Richard Hector, defending, said it was a small quantity of drug that had been in the car for some time.

He said Ball, who was in good physical shape, didn't need stimulants of any kind.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis fined Ball $150.

TEEN DROVE WHILE DISQUALIFIED BY AGE CTS Teen drove while disqualified by age A teenager who drove a motorcycle whilst disqualified by age was fined $200.

Shawn Joseph Gravito, 17, of Mills Reach Lane, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified by age.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis heard that Gravito was stopped by Police as he drove a Yamaha motorcycle along Middle Road in Paget.

When the licence discrepancy was discovered, Gravito told officers that "he didn't think it would matter because he turned 18 that year''.

In court, Gravito, had nothing to say.