A HEATHROW airport security worker banned for drink-driving struggled to understand proceedings or be understood at Watford Magistrates Court.

Bishnu Pant, 30, of Durban Road East, Watford, became confused when magistrates explained they had no choice but to ban him from driving after he was found over the legal drink-drive limit.

Pant was stopped by police at the Hunton Bridge Roundabout at 3am on Thursday, April 17, after coming off the M25 slip road. He was travelling towards Watford in a Mazda.

Officers spoke to him, said Mr Keith Spark, prosecuting on Tuesday, and asked him to provide a breath test.

Pant complied and was arrested after the test showed he was twice over the drink drive limit.

Another reading at Watford police station showed he had 79 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Pant pleaded guilty, but gave a garbled explanation in a foreign accent accounting for his actions.

He asked magistrates not to ban him although sentencing guidelines mean drink-drivers must be banned for at least a year regardless how far over the limit they are.

In the explanation Pant mentioned something about driving his sister-in-law to the airport, a white van, and his one year old baby.

He said if he was banned he would not be able to provide for his family.

Chairman of the bench Mrs Cathy Saunders said: "We have to disqualify you, do you understand that?

"We have no discretion. The length of time is quite a long time. You were twice over the drink drive limit.

"We have to disqualify you today for up to about two years."

After explaining how the ban could be reduced by attending the drink-drivers alcohol awareness course magistrates banned Pant for two years.

He was given seven days to pay £295 in fines and costs.

April 30, 2003 17:00