Yarmouth man pleads guilty

Sentence imposed on drinking and driving charge

A Yarmouth man was jailed Friday for 90 days after recording his third drinking and driving offence.

Craig Lance Webster, 40, was sentenced after pleading guilty to driving with a blood/alcohol level exceeding the legal limit that occurred in November 2014 in Yarmouth, failing to attend court that also occurred in Yarmouth in September 2016 and with refusing a breathalyzer demand that occurred in Sydney May 28. He had also recorded a refusal offence in 1999.

Prosecutor Steve Melnick recommended the jail sentence while defence lawyer James Snow sought a 150-day conditional sentence that would have allowed his client to serve his time in the community.

“I do not feel a conditional sentence order is appropriate,” said provincial court Judge Brian Williston, who also banned Webster from driving for three years.

Williston said it was important that denunciation be emphasized in such cases to ensure others take heed before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking.

“You are driving a weapon,” said Williston, in addressing the accused, adding Webster needs to seek out help for his alcoholism.

The father of three daughters was in Cape Breton working on the Donkin Mine project at the time of his arrest on the most recent impaired related offence.

“It is all due to good luck that police found you when they did as someone’s life could have been gone,” said Williston, noting that when police opened the driver’s door of Webster’s truck, he fell out of the vehicle.