A student from Beausoleil who had been out drinking in Monaco stole a truck on the border of the Principality and France with the intention of driving home, as he was tired and it was 03:50 in the morning.
However, he had an accident shortly afterwards and ended up in the custody of the Monaco police, Monaco’s criminal court was told.
The young man’s lawyer argued that since he had been driving drunk in France the court had no jurisdiction in the case, but this was rebutted by the public prosecutor who argued that he if had driven just two metres in Monaco the court on the Rock had jurisdiction.
The defendant argued memory loss in his defence, saying that he didn’t remember everything and especially not the accident. “It’s still a bit fuzzy,” he said. He was two times over the limit,
His lawyer asked for a fine rather than a jail sentence, since the guilty party had apologised. Besides, his client wants to continue to study in the Principality, he said.
The student told the court he had changed his ways, no longer drinks and doesn’t go out. The court followed the recommendation of the public prosecutor and sentenced him to one month in jail, suspended.
