By STACY MOORE Tuesday, July 14 2015

A MAN charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, told a magistrate that he was celebrating the news of the birth of his son when he was caught consuming alcohol and driving.

Navindra Moonoo, 33, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Sherene Murray -Bailey in the San Fernando Magistrate’s Court, to having exceeded the alcohol limit by 75 microgrammes per 100 millitres of breath.

Court prosecutor Sgt Dianath Harricharan told the court that at about 3.55 am on Sunday, police on patrol stopped Moonoo, who was at the time proceeding along Rahaman Drive in La Romaine.

Moonoo confessed to officers that he had “two drinks” to celebrate the birth of his new baby boy. When a Field Sobriety Test was conducted to test for alcohol in his body, it gave a reading of 110 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath.

Moonoo was unrepresented and told the magistrate that he was also the father of a two-year- old daughter. In scolding him, the magistrate asked Moonoo if his behaviour was how he wanted to honour his son.

Adding, in further questioning the accused man, the magistrate questioned the father if this was the example he wanted to set for his family. Moonoo answered in the negative. She granted the accused man own bail in the sum of $10,000 and advised that he attend Alcohol Anonymous classes to be educated about the dangers of drinking and driving. The case was postponed to July 31.

In a second hearing before Murray- Bailey, another driver Tom Ramcharan was arrested while driving along Wellington Road in Debe having exceeded the alcohol limit of 71mg. Ramcharan told police officers that he had “four beers to drink”.

A Field Sobriety Test conducted revealed a reading of 119microgrammes. Murray- Bailey described the exceeded alcohol limit amount as “troubling”. Ramcharan was granted own bail in the sum of $10,000. The case was postponed to July 31.