A St George’s man has been banned from the roads for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Jamahl Joell, 27, admitted the offence when he appeared in Magistrates’ Court this morning.

Joell denied a further charge that he refused to give a sample of breath for analysis.

Crown Prosecutor Cindy Clarke told the court that an off-duty police officer saw Joell swerving between lanes on his motorcycle, narrowly missing oncoming traffic on South Road, Devonshire on December 22.

She added that he was also seen falling off his bike and getting back on it.

Joell was stopped by police officers at the junction of South Road and Collector’s Hill.

The court heard that Joell’s eyes were glazed, his speech was slurred, his breath smelled strongly of intoxicants and he was unsteady on his feet.

When asked if he had consumed alcohol Joell replied that he had been returning home from a Christmas party, where he had been drinking.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo disqualified Joell from driving all vehicles for 18 months and fined him $1,200.