A 65-YEAR-OLD Tufton man refused to blow into a police breath-test machine as he feared it was unclean and would increase his chances of passing on infections to his vulnerable wife.
Admitting the charge before Haverfordwest magistrates this week was Sean Roche. The court heard how Roche was stopped by police at around 10pm on December 22 after they’d received reports concerning the standard of his driving. Smelling alcohol on his breath, the officers carried out a roadside breath test which proved positive, but when Roche was taken to the police station and asked to provide two further samples, he refused.
Roche was represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd who said his client deeply regretted the incident. “He didn’t know if the police breathing machine had been washed so, because his wife is vulnerable, he didn’t want to blow into it in case it transmitted a disease,” explained Mr Lloyd.
Roche was fined £500 and disqualified from driving for 16 months. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £50 surcharge, the defendant also agreed to attend a drink awareness course which will reduce his ban by 25%.
