£2.7k fine for van driver who hit parked Mercedes while under influence

Saturday 28 January 2023

A van driver who hit a parked car at Les Quennevais Precinct while under the influence of alcohol and fled the area - only stopping when chased down by a member of the public - has been handed a £2,700 fine.

60-year-old Paul Le Neveu hit the silver Mercedes with his white Ford Transit van on 11 December.

Another driver saw what happened and decided to follow him. Eventually, he came over to the woman's vehicle and asked if she was following him, to which she replied: "Yes, and you know why, don't you?" She reported being able to smell alcohol on his breath.

Police were called and Le Neveu was found to have 62 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal maximum is 35.

During a sentencing hearing this week, Advocate Estelle Burns, defending, said Le Neveu had pleaded guilty to charges of drink-driving and failing to report an accident at the earliest opportunity.

She also said he had been "fully cooperative in interview and with the witness" and pointed out that the damage to the Mercedes was "fairly minor".

Magistrate Bridget Shaw had previously said the offending "crosses the custody threshold". 

Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris echoed this during sentencing this week, but gave Le Neveu credit for his guilty plea by imposing a fine and driving ban instead.