Labour AM Passmore faces Senedd ban over breath test
A Labour AM faces a two-week ban from the Senedd after failing to give a breath test.
Rhianon Passmore pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis in a hearing at Newport magistrates' court on 12 February.
The assembly's standards committee has recommended she is excluded for 14 days.
She has apologised, saying she deeply regretted breaching the assembly members' code of conduct.
At the time of her conviction the Islwyn AM, who was elected in 2016, was given a 20 month driving ban, £1,000 fine and £100 victim surcharge while CPS costs of £620 were awarded against her.
The committee's recommendation follows an investigation by the watchdog for assembly members, standards commissioner Sir Roderick Evans.
In written evidence to the commissioner Ms Passmore said: "I deeply regret that I have breached the code in this way, and wish to offer my sincere apologies for doing so."
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The proposed sanction will need to be approved by a vote of AMs before it comes into effect.
The former probation officer was arrested in September 2017.
In evidence to the standards commissioner, Ms Passmore said she had drunk three glasses of wine in Cardiff, having left her car at the assembly car park.
After collecting her car later, Ms Passmore said she suffered an asthma attack and took a high dose of medication.
On her way to her mother's house her car broke down in the St Mellons area of the city and while waiting for the AA breakdown service, the police arrived.
The report to the standards committee said the police asked Ms Passmore to give a sample of breath; she tried but was unable to do so.
She was arrested and taken to the police station where she was asked to provide a sample of her breath for analysis.
Again she tried, but was unable to do so, the report added.
Original ArticlePolitics
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