French driver banned after refusing breath test in Edinburgh

A French motorist has been banned from the road after he refused to give police a breath sample after he was caught driving while over the limit at busy roundabout.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court where Chateur was banned

Helmi Chateur, 32, was stopped by police at Sheriffhall roundabout near Musselburgh in April.

He was taken to St Leonard’s police station and asked to provide two samples of breath but “failed to engage with the police officers” and he was charged and appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Defence solicitor Mary Moultrie told the court Chateur was a first offender and is “relying on friends and family” to survive.

Sheriff Douglas Keir told Chateur he had “clearly not helped yourself by acting in the way you did at the police station” and banned him from driving for 12 months and told him he must carry out 75 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Chateur, 13/31 Portland Street, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty through an interpreter to failing to give two specimens of breath.

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