Drunk driver sentenced to five years

A MAN was given a five-year prison sentence or a R15,000 fine this month after being found guilty of drunk driving on the Bluff.

On 11 August 2013, Warrant Officer J Sonnekus and his team from Brighton Beach crime prevention unit were doing afternoon patrols when they noticed a man lying in his car on the side of Marine Drive.

The man was asleep in the driver’s seat of the idling car with the window down.

Concerned about his safety, the officers woke him up. They could smell alcohol and when the man spoke, his speech was slurred.

The police asked him to get out the car to perform a sobriety test. According to the officers, he was so unstable on his feet he had to lean against his car to steady himself.

After attempts to get the man to follow instructions failed, he was taken to the district surgeon, who did a medical examination and took a blood sample.

The man was then charged with drunk driving and on Friday, 28 May he pleaded guilty to drinking and driving after the blood tests result were received from the department of health.

On Thursday, 9 July he was given a five-year sentence or a R15,000 fine along with 70 hours community service and he must complete a NICRO programme.

Brighton Beach SAPS management commend W/O Sonnekus and Detective Thandi Mgcogo for the roles they played in the arrest and investigation which resulted in a guilty plea and conviction.