Aviation manager avoids jail after drink-drive pursuit with PSNI on M2 motorway
An aviation executive who nearly crashed into police during a drink-driving pursuit on the M2 has avoided imprisonment.
A court heard the 25-year-old swerved across three lanes of the M2 motorway as officers mounted attempts to bring his car to a halt.
Adrien Cesbron received a three-month suspended prison sentence for what the judge branded “an appalling piece of driving”.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard police spotted the Frenchman’s Audi A1 travelling erratically on the M2 close to Antrim shortly after midnight on April 5 this year.
The car weaved between lanes and across the white lines, continuing on after the patrol unit deployed blue lights and sirens.
At one stage officers drew level and used hand gestures for Cesbron to move onto the hard shoulder.
He briefly slowed to a stop but then drove off again towards Belfast, a Crown lawyer said.
Other members of a PSNI road policing team waiting at the Sandyknowes junction mounted another unsuccessful attempt to bring his car to a halt.
“The driver of the Audi continued to be erratic, swerving across three lanes of the M2 and narrowly avoiding collision with police vehicles and civilians,” the prosecutor added.
He was eventually detained after further tactics were used to box in his vehicle. He failed a preliminary breath test at the scene.
Cesbron, with an address at Rosette Road in Belfast, admitted dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, and failing to stop for police.
His counsel described what he has done as inexplicable.
Barrister Paul Burns set out how Cesbron joined a local rugby club after moving to Northern Ireland to work as an aviation manager.
He had attended the club’s end of season dinner and been bought drinks by other members on the night of the incident.
“Under the influence he made a very foolish decision to try and drive home from the club,” Mr Burns said.
“His behaviour once he saw the police was quite incredible for someone in his position.”
Based on the guilty pleas, District Judge Austin Kennedy suspended the prison term for two years.
He also imposed a 12-month driving ban and fines of £750.
The judge told Cesbron: “This was an appalling piece of driving.”