An Armagh woman who was found to be over twice the legal limit following a collision has been handed a 12 month disqualification.
The 60-year-old’s solicitor told court that his client instructed she had been drinking “quite heavily” the night before and had been on her way to see her elderly mother at the time of detection.
Bernadette Murphy, of Moore Island Road, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at the city’s Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry, on Tuesday via videolink from her solicitor’s office.
Prosecution outlined that on January 24, at 6.50pm, police received a report of a two vehicle collision on the Armagh Road, Moy.
One of the drivers involved was identified as this defendant. A preliminary breath test was conducted at the roadside resulting in a fail.
A subsequent evidential sample obtained in custody gave a reading of 92mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – over twice the legal limit.
Defence solicitor Oisin Toner stated that his client was a 60-year-old mother-of-two who has “never been in trouble before”.
The solicitor said the defendant instructed that she had been drinking “quite heavily” the night before and had been on her way to see her elderly mother at the time of detection.
Mr Toner added that “nothing else” about Murphy’s driving had led her to be approached by police, claiming that the other vehicle involved had “pulled out into her path”.
Deputy District Judge Des Perry commented: “With a reading of 92mg in breath, it is inevitable that her reactions and ability to drive would have been impaired.”
He added that he did take into account the defendant’s “impeccable” 40 year driving career.
Murphy was handed a 12 month disqualification and was ordered to pay a fine of £250, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within four weeks.
