A Pembroke man who refused a breath test because he feared he would contract Covid-19 was banned from the roads.

Reuben Mayho, 59, pleaded guilty to the offence in Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon.

The court heard he had been stopped by police on Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke on the evening of November 14.

While the details of the stop were not given in court, prosecutors said when officer made a demand for a breath sample he had said he was “just not going to take it.”

In court, after he pleaded guilty, Mayho said: “I refused to take the test because I’m afraid of catching the coronavirus from the testing machine.”

Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe fined Mayho $1,000 and banned him from driving all vehicles for 18 months.

Mr Wolffe also banned another man, Robert Florek, from the roads at the same hearing after he admitted having care and control of a motorcycle while impaired.

The court heard Florek was stopped by police on Par-la-Ville Road at around 8pm on November 6 because he was not wearing a helmet.

The 41-year-old Pembroke resident was asked to provide a breath sample, but declined.

Mr Wolffe fined Florek $1,000 and banned him from driving for 18 months.

The senior magistrate further fined Florek $50 for not wearing a helmet.