assaulting a schoolmate last year.

The 11-year-old girl was assaulted at a gathering in a Devonshire home on February 10, 1999.

She entered the kitchen where the accused and an adult male picked her up and took her to a bedroom where the boy pulled down her jeans and sexually assaulted her.

The adult male will be tried later this month after pleading not guilty.

The boy pleaded guilty to the offence but claimed he had been coaxed by the victim.

MAN BANNED FROM DRIVING CTS Man banned from driving Six hours after a road accident, a Warwick man was still three and a half times over the alcohol limit, Magistrates' Court heard.

Nelson Wayne Taylor was arrested by Police at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital at 11.35 p.m. on January 6 when they noted his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, his speech was slurred, and he was incoherent.

They had come to investigate a single vehicle accident that occurred at 6.10 p.m. on Cobb's Hill Road, between South Road and Ord Road. Taylor had struck a parked car.

He was found to have 293 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Taylor, 44, of Dunscombe Road, pleaded guilty last week to driving while impaired. Mr. Warner fined him $600 and banned him from driving all motor vehicles for one year.

He was also fined $750 for riding without third party insurance.

Mr. Warner asked: "Isn't there a time limit for the breathalyser test?'' Crown counsel Graveney Bannister responded that the law had been increased from just three hours.

As he fined Taylor, Mr. Warner said: "By the looks of it he was still full hot, six hours after!'' DROVE WHILE DISQUALIFIED CTS Drove while disqualified A minor misunderstanding about when his disqualification from all vehicles was up, brought a Southampton man back into Magistrates' Court.

Seitu Ford, 26, pleaded guilty -- with an explanation -- to driving while disqualified.

In early February, Ford, of Middle Road, was pulled over by Police near Runaway Lane.

When a check was done on Ford, officers found that he had been disqualified from driving until August 12 of this year.

"It was just a misunderstanding, your Honour,'' he said. "You see Mr.

Francis gave me 12 months from only cars and a few month later I appeared before you and you gave me 12 months from all vehicles.

"I thought I was back on the road in September of 1999.'' Magistrate Edward King laughed at the confused Ford and asked: "How much should I fine you?'' Ford explained he had just taken up a mortgage on his home and that he had a family to support. He suggested the amount of $50.

Mr. King explained the maximum for this offence was $1,000 and that he had to take into consideration that Ford had a previous conviction for the same offence.

"If $50 is for the first offence and $1,000 is the maximum, what should I fine you?'' Mr. King said. "I have to fine you somewhere in the middle.'' "$700,'' Ford said.

"No,'' said Mr. King.

Ford got the right answer only when a court officer whispered it to him.

"$750,'' he said.

Mr. King laughed and fined Ford $750.

DRINKING IN PUBLIC PLACE CTS Drinking in public place A Pembroke man got off with only a warning in Magistrates' Court after being hit with a $2,880 fine for drinking in a public place.

Gary Troy Burgess, 18, received the maximum fine for the offence, but after explaining that he was unemployed and looking for work, Magistrate Edward King amended his ruling. Burgess, of Alexandra Road, Devonshire, pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of drinking alcohol outside of City Hall in early February.

Officers reported seeing Burgess with a group of youths and drinking from a bottle in a brown paper bag.

When officers approached and asked Burgess for the bottle he refused but gave up the bottle when asked the second time.

Officers smelled the bottle and suspected it to be beer. The label on the bottle confirmed this.

When Burgess was told by officers that it was illegal to drink in public he said: "You didn't see me drinking no beer.'' Mr. King explained to Burgess that he had the right to impose a fine, a prison sentence or both.

Mr. King asked: "What do you think I should do?'' Burgess said that he would prefer a fine.

Mr. King handed down the maximum fine of $2,880 but then changed it to a conditional discharge.

"I am taking in to consideration your clean record and age and giving you a conditional sentence,'' he said.

Mr. King offered Burgess this advice: "If you want to drink in public go to the beach or one of those places where you can sit off and watch what's passing by. Remember go to a place that is licensed for you to drink at. City Hall is not licensed.'' MAN ADMITS STEALING RUM CTS Man admits stealing rum A clean record and a heartfelt apology helped a Cottage Hill Road, Hamilton Parish man to only be fined $100 for theft in Magistrates' Court.

Jahnia Antonio Thompson, 23, pleaded guilty to stealing two bottles of rum from the Shelly Bay MarketPlace in early November last year.

A MarketPlace employee told the manager that a man in the building was seen walking around with a bag full of items that he had not paid for.

When Thompson was approached by the manager, he ran from the store.

Along the way he dropped his black motorcycle helmet which later helped Police to identify him.

When Thompson was confronted by officers at a friend's home he admitted to the theft.

He told officers that he had sold the bottles of rum for money and used the money to purchase drugs.

When they went to the purchaser's home, the two bottles were found, one full and the other one half-empty.

Magistrate Edward King explained to Thompson that a maximum sentence of 12 month in prison could be imposed.

"You see how damaging something like this could be,'' Mr. King said.

Thompson apologised for the theft and told the court that he would never do something like this again.

"I'm very sorry I stole the bottles, your Honour,'' Thompson said. "I apologised to the manager personally and I apologise to the officers and the court.

"But I'm working now and have a home. I ask for the leniency of the court and assure you this will never happen again.'' Mr. King said: "I take into account your clean record up until now and your earnest apology and am only fining you $100.''