legislation.

Mary Wingate, of Middle Road, Southampton was disqualified Friday from all motor vehicles for 12 months after pleading guilty in Magistrates' Court to failing or refusing to provide a breath sample.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Police were called to the scene of a single-vehicle accident in February this year.

Upon arrival, they discovered Wingate standing uninjured next to her car at the junction of Palmetto and North Shore roads.

"I have had a couples of glasses of wine, but I'm not drunk,'' she told Police.

Sgt. Taylor said she initially agreed to give a breath sample, but later failed to do so.

Defence lawyer John Cooper said Wingate was a temporary secretary with "less than secure employment''.

"I realise that we are now in a new regime,'' said Mr. Cooper.

"If Ms Wingate is disqualified, she will have to take public transportation or pay for transportation.'' Mr. Cooper's "new regime'' referred to the blanket ban which must now be enforced on motorists found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Before the law's introduction in January, magistrates were allowed to disqualify impaired drivers from individual licence classes only.

But magistrates have come under recent public scrutiny for allowing several drink driving offenders to slip through the total ban after the new legislation took effect.

Mr. King dismissed Mr. Cooper's arguments and banned Wingate from driving all motor vehicles for 12 months. He also ordered her to pay a $600 fine.