But the arrest of a tourist is unusual. Tickets, yes. It's an open secret that car hire licence plates (coloured red to alert those who need to know) are much more likely to be ticketed for minor infractions. This is a small island and no police officer wishes to find that the ticket recipient is a friend of a relative or relative of a friend. Besides, it's only right that those who can afford to holiday should contribute to the state coffers.
So the caption 'tourist arrested for drunk driving' arouses immediate cynicism. Does drunk mean fractionally over the conservative .05 blood alcohol, and were the red plates the reason he was stopped. No, and no. The 28 year old visitor attracted patrol car attention by speeding in a town at midnight without lights, overtaking two cars stopped at a red light and driving through said red light. Fair cop - obvious cause for investigation. And he was breathalysed at three times the drink drive limit. But also charged with possession of weapons. Two knives (not described), a collapsible baton (?), and a sledgehammer. A sledgehammer? No doubt that it could inflict grievous bodily harm, but is it really a prohibited weapon? Who knew? Fence post installers be warned.
Posts
