Flemish presenter and actor, Tom Waes, was sentenced to a three-month driving ban, including a one-month suspension, following his involvement in a drink-driving accident last November at the Kennedy Tunnel in Antwerp.
The court also imposed a fine on Waes and mandated that he undergo remedial exams and assessments. It further ordered the installation of an alcohol interlock device, which does not allow a vehicle to start unless a driver's alcohol content is below a certain limit.
The severity of Waes’ blood alcohol content was a significant factor in the judgement. The aim of the penalty is to deter Waes from repeating such behaviour and to make him consider the consequences of drunk driving.
The court acknowledged Waes’ expression of remorse during the hearing and his intention to support a traffic accident victims’ charity.
The deferment of part of the driving ban is meant to lessen the impact on Waes’ professional commitments; however, the court rejected the defence’s plea to forego the alcohol interlock device for similar reasons.
"This was not an isolated incident," the court stated. "Given past offences, an alcohol interlock is the most appropriate measure to prevent the defendant from drink-driving again. It is neither excessive nor disproportionate to the facts."
An alcohol interlock is a standard penalty for high levels of alcohol intoxication, which the court can only alter with justification.
