Hellesdon teenager fails breath test

Peter WalshA teenager who rode a moped while over the legal drink drive limit has been disqualified from driving for 20 months.Peter Walsh

A teenager who rode a moped while over the legal drink drive limit has been disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Jonathon Burns, 18, who lives at St Matthews Housing accommodation on Reepham Road, Hellesdon, near Norwich, stopped by police at about 1am on January 26 after he was spotted riding a Jet 50 moped on Canterbury Place, Norwich, without a helmet.

Susanna Chowdhury, prosecuting, said that after officers stopped the defendant, a provisional license holder, they also discovered he had no L plates and was carrying a pillion passenger on the back.

She said: 'A roadside breath test was carried out which he failed. The lower reading was 62mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.'

Burns appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court yesterdaywhere he pleaded guilty to drink driving and a second charge of driving a motor vehicle on a road otherwise in accordance with a licence.

Burns, who represented himself and has no previous convictions, said earlier in the evening he and a friend had had a couple of drinks.

He said he had been 'ridiculously stupid' but was only giving the passenger, who he ensured was wearing a helmet, a lift to the end of the road. He added that he would not have done it when there were likely to have been pedestrians about.

Burns was disqualified from driving for 20 months, although the ban could be reduced by five months if he undertakes the drink driver rehabilitation course at his own time and expense by March 9.

He was also fined �20 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of �15. No order was made for costs.