By Khushwant Singh
AN OPERATIONS manager of a funeral services company, caught for
drink-driving a hearse in January 2010, was found to be flouting a
disqualification order for a drink-drive offence issued in April
2009.
On Thursday, Paramasivam Rajo pleaded guilty and was jailed for
two months and fined a total of $7,100. The other offences were
driving without insurance coverage and taking the van without the
owner's consent.
Paramasivam had been stopped at a police road block along
Balestier Road at 12.10am on Jan 31. Noticing his alcoholic breath,
flushed face and blood-shot eyes, officers subjected him to a
breathalyser test, which he failed.
A further test at the police station revealed that he had 60mg
of alcohol in every 100ml of breath, far exceeding the prescribed
limit of 35mg.
Investigations then revealed that his boss was unaware he had
taken the hearse. The court also heard that Paramasivam had been
fined $3,000 and disqualified from driving all vehicles for two
years in April last year for drink-drinking his car.
Defence counsel Rajan Supramaniam told The Straits Times that
there was no body in the hearse when Paramasivam was driving
it.
