with a $400 fine -- and a lot of advice from the magistrate.

Joseph Moniz Lima, 30, was charged with driving while intoxicated on November 19.

Lima was riding west on North Shore Road when he apparently failed to negotiate a bend near Cottage Hill Road, collided with the curb and fell off his bike, said Sgt. Kenrick James, prosecuting.

The Police were called, and when they were questioning Lima, they noticed that he had some difficulty standing up straight. His speech was slurred, he smelled of intoxicants, and his eyes were glassy, he said.

He was arrested at 11.32 p.m., but refused to give samples of his breath for analysis. Lima was then taken to St. George's Police Station, and was bailed the next day, Sgt. James reported.

Lima denied that he was released the next morning, saying he stayed in custody for four days. He also denied that he was driving drunk. He said he had hit a pothole and fallen off, and that he had difficulty standing up straight because his leg was "messed up'' from the spill.

"(Sgt. James) failed to mention another guy who fell down five minutes later.

The Police just helped him up,'' Lima accused.

"Once you're labelled an ex-con, you can't get away from it for the rest of your life. Every time I come to court, I get fined or imprisoned.'' "You don't get breaks in court,'' Acting Magistrate the Wor. Arthur Hodgson told Lima, and asked him why he had pleaded guilty, if he was denying being drunk.

The Magistrate told Lima he would have been convicted for refusing to take a breath test anyway.

"I will fine you $400 and disqualify you for all vehicles for one year, and that includes--'' "-- push-bikes?'' Lima wisecracked.

"If you are caught intoxicated on a push-bike, you will be disqualified from riding push-bikes,'' said Mr. Hodgson.

"The court has ruled that a person can ride a horse while drunk, because a horse is not a vehicle. But don't fall off, because you could be charged with being drunk and incapable in a public place.'' He added that he could have fined Lima $500 to $1,000.