(Trinidad Express) A man on his third drunken driving charge was on Monday fined a total of $21,000 and banned from driving for life.
Harry Ramdeen was ordered to pay TT$11,200 in one day or be imprisoned.
Ramdeen who was charged for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2012 and 2013 and had his licence taken away for three years at his second court appearance, was again before the court for a similar charge yesterday.
He appeared before Traffic Court magistrate Natalie Diop for driving while over the legal limit by 28 microgrammes, not being the holder of valid driver’s permit, failing to have on him a driver’s permit for production to a police officer and driving without a policy or insurance being enforced. Ramdeen was charged by constable Mitchell.
The court heard that at 12.45 a.m. last Sunday the charging officer was on mobile patrol duty along the Mon Repos Roundabout when he stopped the car being driving by Ramdeen. The officer requested his driving documents. Police prosecutor Sgt Raymond Dookhoo said: “The defendant was unable to produce a valid driver’s permit and certificate of insurance.” He was told of the offence and while interviewing him, the officer detected the scent of alcohol on Ramdeen’s breath. Ramdeen admitted that he had “a few drinks of White Oak.”
Breathalyser tests were administered and revealed a reading of 63 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Defence attorney Annalee Girwar said the plant fitter had tried on numerous occasions to attend Alcohol Anonymous classes. She outlined several problems Ramdeen had been undergoing including that he was epileptic, was caring for his ailing wife and losing a brother who had been supporting him financially and emotionally. Girwar also said that Ramdeen, 55, of Gasparillo lived in fear of his home collapsing into a nearby river and had land border issues with his neighbours. The attorney said that through his stresses, Ramdeen “finds comfort using alcohol which had gotten the better of him for quite some time.”
