drinks limit -- and yesterday he was fined $400 and banned for a year despite pleas for mercy from his defence lawyer.

Lawyer Carlsen Philip told Senior Magistrate Will Francis that his client was the sole breadwinner in his family and that Jones' wife was terminally ill.

He added that Jones, who admitted the charge of impaired driving, was also paying for his daughter to get through medical school in the US.

Magistrates' Court heard that Police became suspicious after Jones, 59, Chaingate Hill, Devonshire, was involved in an accident in his taxi while driving on South Shore Road on the evening of March 8.

Police Prosecutor Sgt. Anthony Mouchette told the court that officers attended the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where Jones was being treated for a head injury.

The accused was later tested for alcohol and found to have 170 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

Pleading for a sentence short of a ban, Mr. Philip said his client and his family would suffer excessive hardship if he was taken off the road.

Mr. Philip added: "My client has up to this point been a model citizen and 30 years a taxi driver.'' He said Jones also had hefty medical bills to cover as well as his daughter's education.

Mr. Philip said: "I do realise the perilous circumstances he could face and that is the loss of his licence. But I would hope that your Lordship would be compassionate in this case. He has fallen from grace but he should be given a chance.'' But Mr. Francis said: "As I see it, this is a very regretful situation when you look at it from either side. I take all that was said about this gentleman into consideration, but I have to look at it sitting here from both sides.'' And Mr. Francis asked what would have happened if Jones' taxi had been in collision with a cycle rather than a car.