An Austrian came close to jail yesterday in Magistrates' court after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified.

Herwig Weikl, 33, living at Spanish Point in Pembroke, was taken off the road for drunk driving from November 18, 2002 until November 17, 2003. He was also convicted of drunk driving in 1996.

Weikl disregarded his disqualification on March 24 of this year, however, when he rode his motorbike to a friend's house to fix a computer.

As he was travelling on Jennings Road in Smith's he rounded a bend on the wrong side of the road, colliding with another motorcyclist. Both riders sustained minor injuries. Weikl was charged with and pleaded guilty to charges of driving without due care and attention, and driving while disqualified.

"Driving while impaired is quite a serious offence," Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court, who argued the court had the power to impose a jail sentence of three months on Weikl for disregarding his disqualification. "This society will not tolerate drunk driving."

"I made a stupid mistake," Weikl told the court. "I'm sorry about it, it won't happen again."

Acting Magistrate Will Francis fined Weikl $500 for driving without due care. For the charge of driving while disqualified he fined the man $1,000 as well as giving him a sentence of three months suspended for one year.

"You've got prison hanging over you now," he warned the man.