A drink driver who flipped his car onto its roof in a collision in Armagh has been barred from the roads for 13 months.
Mark Fields appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Newry, on Tuesday charged with drink driving stemming from an incident on the Keady Road on April 19.
At approximately 12.20am, police were called to the scene of a single-vehicle road traffic collision in which a grey Peugeot was found on its roof.
Police spoke with the 33-year-old defendant who confirmed the vehicle was his and that he was the driver.
Fields provided a breath sample which returned a reading of 68mgs – almost double the legal limit. He was arrested and taken to Dungannon.
Defence solicitor, Conor Coulter, asked District Judge Marshall to take into account his client’s “guilty plea at the earliest opportunity”.
Mr Coulter added: “He was co-operative with police at the scene and appears before the court extremely remorseful for his involvement in this.
“He’s working full-time as an operative for six years and his employer is aware of the incident and advises that his licence isn’t essential for his employment.”
Judge Marshall said she was giving Fields full credit for his guilty plea, but added: “I have to reflect the fact that there was a collision and that his car ended up on its roof as a result of that.”
Fields was handed a £200 fine, with an offenders’ levy of £15. He was disqualified for 13 months but “it would have been longer only for the fact he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity”.
