admitting to driving with excess alcohol.

Charles Fubler, 58, from Kilderry Drive, Smith's Parish, was arrested by Police after crashing his car on Harrington Sound Road on the afternoon of July 3.

In Magistrates' Court yesterday prosecutor Lesley Basden explained how an off-duty Customs officer noticed that the car in front of him, which was being driven by Fubler, kept on "swerving into oncoming traffic''.

When Fubler eventually lost control and crashed his vehicle into an embankment, the Customs officer called the Police on a cellular telephone.

Fubler, who was uninjured in the accident, was still at the scene trying to repair a damaged car tyre when Police finally arrived.

When questioned he explained that he "probably had three glasses of wine''.

But Police noted that he smelled strongly of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet. Fubler was then taken to Hamilton Police Station on suspicion of driving while impaired. A breath test showed that he was more than two-and-a-half times over the legal drink-drive limit.

The limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Fubler had 306 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres.

Fubler, who is receiving counselling for alcohol abuse, was banned from all motor vehicles for 12 months and fined $450.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis then dished out the same punishment to 46-year-old George Brown, of Ferry Road, St. George's, who also pleaded guilty to the similar offence.

Brown, who works at Bermuda Motors, nearly collided with an on-coming Police car as he drove his car along North Shore Road, Hamilton, in the early hours of July 23.

Having taken evasive action to avoid Brown's vehicle, Police turned around and followed Brown, noticing that he repeatedly swerved into the other side of the road.

Brown was eventually stopped and arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired.

"What -- for one drink?'' he said when told that he was being arrested.

Although he tried three times, Brown was unable to provide a sample of breath for analysis and was then charged with failing to do so.

He had nothing to say before sentence was passed.

SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE FOR BANK BAG THEFT CTS Suspended prison sentence for bank bag theft Stealing a bank bag containing $1,146 from her employer brought a Pembroke woman a suspended prison sentence.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis sentenced Kylah Stowe to six months in prison, suspended for two years, for the January 8 theft of cash and cheques from Masters' Ltd. Esso Service station in Smith's Parish.

Mr. Francis heard that Stowe had failed to attend meetings with probation officers for the completion of a social inquiry report.

Stowe, 25, of South Terrace, is now spending her time fighting a drug addiction in a joint programme with the Turning Point and Fair Havens facilities.

Crown counsel Lesley Basden said probation officers consented to the irregular move of proceeding to sentencing without the report.

In May, Magistrate Edward King heard Stowe was working at the service station when she took a locked bank bag from a desk but lost some of the money while riding.

She also flushed some of the money down a toilet in Hamilton Police Station.

It is her first conviction for dishonesty. Her lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, told Mr. King that Stowe had been under the influence of a boyfriend who is in prison.

Stowe was wearing casts on both ankles as a result of a two-storey fall she sustained while trying to escape Hamilton Police Station in June.

Mr. Francis told Stowe: "This will hang over you for a while. You hang in there with your seeking assistance. Everything will be all right. But if you should get in any trouble, especially for theft, you may have to go to prison.'' MEDICATION AND BEERS PROVE COSTLY COMBINATION CTS Medication and beers prove costly combination A Warwick man learned that excessive drinking of Miller beers and medication do not make a good mix.

Magistrates' Court heard that the car of Raymond John Simons, 55, of 17 Warwickshire Drive, was seen veering from the western lane of Middle Road, Southampton near Port Royal Golf Course into the lane of oncoming traffic.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith told Senior Magistrate Will Francis that Simons ignored the Police siren and refused to stop. Police overtook Simons and indicated for him to stop.

But Simons collided with a tree before finally stopping. He said he had seven, eight or nine Millers and medication for recent surgery.

"The medication and beers combined to make me wheezy,'' said Simons.

Mr. Francis ordered him to pay a $300 fine and banned him from driving all motor vehicles for 18 months.