Student tried for driving while drunk, and against traffic flow
© Monaco Tribune
The student, who lives in Cap-d’Ail, admitted the events that took place on the night of 3 May 2025, when he was going home after an evening out at La Condamine.
On Tuesday 21 October, the Monaco Criminal Court tried a young man aged 20, of South African and French nationality, for drink-driving and ignoring a no entry sign. It was around 1.50 am when he performed, in the words of the court, “not a very clever manoeuvre, 50 metres from the Sûreté Publique.” To save a few minutes and take a young lady home, he went the wrong way up rue Suffren Reymond and rue Grimaldi, both one-way streets. This did not go unnoticed. A police patrol spotted him immediately. He was stopped and exhibited clear signs of intoxication. Tests showed 0.54 mg of alcohol per litre of exhaled air, more than double the legal limit. “I don’t have a valid reason for doing it,” admitted the defendant in the dock. “It wasn’t a good decision, and I’m not proud of it. It’s something I’ll never do again.”
“I felt very ashamed”
The student said he spent the evening drinking “beers and shots” in a Monegasque pub, while the E-Prix was going on. As he spoke about his condition, the presiding judge stressed: “In that state, you are a danger to yourself, your passenger and other road users.” The young man continued: “I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am. I know there have been accidents involving university students. I was really stupid. I’ve never driven under the influence since. I felt very ashamed.” When asked if he knew the girls who died in the tragic accident on 17 December 2023, he replied: “She was a friend.”
The prosecutor praised the young man’s candour, noting he had understood his error “after the fact.” “The level is relatively low, but he was not in a fit state to drive and he compounded the risks,” he pointed out. He requested a fine of €500, a €100 fine for the traffic offence and a six-month driving ban in Monaco.
The defence lawyer asked for leniency: “It’s not a record-breaking level, but he completely recognises he was over the limit. He has reflected on it, he’s ashamed, and he won’t make the same mistake again.” He also asked that the conviction not be recorded on his criminal record, so as not to compromise his client’s professional plans, moving abroad then settling in Monaco. The public prosecutor did not object, provided supporting documents are provided. At the end of the hearing, the young defendant apologised one last time: “I’m really sorry to have wasted your time today. I hope to see you again in better circumstances.”
The court found him guilty and sentenced him to a €500 fine, a €100 fine for a traffic offence and a six-month driving ban in Monaco, while agreeing not to have the conviction noted on his criminal record.