involving former Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs Ernest Owen.

Robinson pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in the Supreme Court yesterday in the case of the accident that claimed the life of Mr. Owen more than two years ago.

Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller fined Robinson $1,000 and banned him from driving all motor vehicles for two and a half years.

Crown counsel Brian Calhoun accepted that the accident occurred on a blind bend on Harbour Road, and offered no objections to the plea.

Julian Hall, representing Robinson, reminded the court that the stretch of road was "an accident waiting to happen''.

Mr. Hall added that he considered it to be a borderline case between driving without due care and dangerous driving.

The accident occurred on March 25, 1995 at Harbour Road in Paget, near Salt Kettle Road.

A jury in August found Robinson, 55, of Kitty's Lane, Bailey's Bay, not guilty of causing Mr. Owen's death by reckless driving, impaired driving, and refusing to give a breath sample.

But the seven-woman, five-man jury was unable to reach a verdict on the dangerous driving charge or the alternative charge of careless driving.

Yesterday, Mr. Hall said his client was "very relieved''.

"It's been a tragic experience for him,'' Mr. Hall said "and he's lived with the tragedy every day''.

"Mr. Robinson sends his deepest condolences to the family of the late Ernest Owen, but he's also aware that his driving was not the sole cause of the accident,'' Mr. Hall added.

"Every day he prays for the family and his business has suffered because he has not been able to concentrate on his work. But he's very relieved that he's moving toward closure.''