A fare-dodger was sentenced to three months in jail yesterday after failing to pay for a $22 cab ride.

Paul Clarence Williams, 26, was taken from his home in St. Anne's Road, Southampton to Warwick and then back to his house by cabbie Leopold Kuchler on Boxing Day last year.

Prosecutor Cindy Clarke told Magistrates' Court that he told the taxi driver to wait while he went inside to get some money but never returned.

Williams, who pleaded guilty to obtaining credit for a service by pretending he could pay, told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner: “I'm sorry for what I do. I'm sorry for not paying the taxi driver. I have the money now.”

Mr. Warner replied: “You can spend it at Westgate.”

Motorist more than twice over limit

A motorist who was stopped by Police more than twice over the drink-drive limit was banned from the roads for 12 months yesterday.

Paul David Manders, 47, of Turtle Bay Lane, Southampton, pleaded guilty at Magistrates' Court to driving while his ability to do so was impaired by alcohol.

Prosecutor Graveney Bannister told the court that Police attended a road crash on Crow Lane on February 26 and found Manders standing by his car, which was stationary in the eastbound lane.

“One of the officers spoke to the defendant,” said Mr. Bannister. “His breath smelled strongly of intoxicants. He said he'd had a few beers. He was arrested.”

A breath test showed 195 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood.

Manders apologised to the court for his behaviour. He was banned from driving any vehicle for a year and given an $800 fine.

In a separate case, Carlton Anthony Hayward, 46, of Douglas Close, Devonshire, admitted driving on South Road while his ability to do so was impaired by alcohol.

Mr. Bannister said Police stopped him in his red Skoda on April 16 after he kept braking and accelerating and crossed the centre line of the road.

He was stopped in Devonshire and taken to Hamilton Police Station where he gave a breath sample of 100mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

Hayward told the court: “I had had three beers. I wasn't unsteady on my feet. One of the Police officers told me I looked as sober as a judge.”

He was disqualified from driving for a year and fined $800.

In another case, motorcyclist David Anthony Martin, 49, of Battery Close, St. George's, admitted driving a motorcycle on Court Street, Pembroke, while his ability to do so was impaired by alcohol.

He was spotted by Police after failing to stop at a red traffic light on April 7. Mr. Bannister said he was arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station but would not give a breath sample.

Senior Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo banned him from driving any vehicle for 12 months and fined him $800.

US visitors fined for importing drugs

Two American visitors were convicted of importing drugs into Bermuda.

Hollie Irene Brown, from Michigan, pleaded guilty to the charge at Magistrates' Court and was fined $1,500.

The 32-year-old was searched at the Airport after arriving on a flight on April 15 and found to have five home-made cigarettes in her luggage.

The cigarettes were tested and found to contain 6.62 grams of cannabis.

Timothy Lane, 36, from Massachusetts, also pleaded guilty to importing cannabis. He was searched after arriving at the Airport on a flight from Philadelphia on Saturday. A bag containing plant material was found in his trouser pocket. The material was tested and found to be 5.02 grams of cannabis.

Lane was also fined $1,500. Senior Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo told both to pay immediately as they were leaving the Island.

Stealing keyboards proves unsound idea

A burglar who stole two keyboards from a school was fined $800 at Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Lance Murray Crockwell, 44, of Cooks Hill, Sandys, admitted breaking and entering Sandys Secondary Middle School and taking the instruments, worth $350 each.

Prosecutor Cindy Clarke said Crockwell had approached the school principal, Melvyn Bassett, and asked to play the Yamaha keyboards at a school fair last October.

He did so and the keyboards were returned, said Miss Clarke. But then the instruments went missing and were only recovered after someone tried to sell one of them and a teacher at the school was informed.

Crockwell was later questioned by Police and admitted taking the keyboards, telling officers he had given them away to friends.

He told the court: “I apologise to the Magistrates' Court. Stupidity got the best of me.”

Man admits receiving stolen bikes

A 37-year-old man appeared at Supreme Court Three yesterday and admitted receiving two stolen motorcycles.

McNeil Wilson, of no fixed abode, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced tomorrow.

He pleaded guilty to receiving a Yamaha motorcycle and a Suzuki motorcycle last April knowing both to be stolen