M3 Hampshire: Drunk cyclist seen 'wobbling all over the place'

A rolling roadblock was put in place in the early hours of the morning after Waldemar Coelho decided to ride his bicycle on the M3 near Eastleigh.

The 28-year-old of Dale Valley Road, Southampton, had been drinking before taking to the motorway at around 5am.

Police described him as “wobbling around all over the place” and crossing lanes.

Prosecuting, Bethany Adams told Southampton Magistrates’ Court how Coelho turned into lane one to avoid the police and was only stopped when officers used a vehicle to push him off the road and onto the verge.

She added that police had described him as appearing like he was under the influence when he was stopped.

But mitigating, Mark Rigby said Coelho is “quite horrified by what the ramifications could have been for him and other road users”.

“He is shocked by the situation he found himself in.

Waldemar Coelho outside Southampton Magistrates' Court. 30/11/2022. (Image: Newsquest)

“He has no want to attempt to undermine the seriousness of the situation he put himself in.”

Coelho accepted that he had drunk alcohol on May 14, the day of the incident, but said he was unaware if he had taken any drugs.

Mr Rigby added: “He feels that at the age of 28, he should be maturing.

“[He] says he’s getting too old for the criminal justice system.”

But the magistrates' chair, Anne Srokosz told him: “This is really serious. Serious danger to the public.

“Never mind one accident, there could have been lots of accidents.

“You’re on a motorway riding a bicycle and you don’t remember.

“That probably means you were very intoxicated.”

Appearing for sentencing on Wednesday, November 30, he was given a 12-month community order, ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and made the subject of an alcohol monitoring restriction for 32 days.

He was also told to engage in 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.