A man who ran off after crashing his car in Armagh whilst intoxicated has been handed a 16-month driving ban.
Court heard that the 23-year-old denied the offence when interviewed and police resorted to carrying out a forensic examination on the airbags which were deployed during the collision.
Appearing before Armagh Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Shane Michael McCarron, 23, of Rosslea, Co Fermanagh pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and failing to report an accident.
It was heard that on March 4, at around 10.25pm, police were called to a single vehicle road accident on Cathedral Road, Armagh.
Officers arrived to find a car which had collided with a residential wall with both airbags deployed but no driver.
Police spoke to witnesses who stated a man in a red/orange top and blue jeans exited the vehicle before making off.
McCarron was located a short distance away and matched the description given.
Checks showed that the defendant had an insurance policy out of the car.
A preliminary breath test gave a fail and at Lurgan Custody Suite McCarron gave a reading of 88mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
When interviewed the next day the defendant made no comment.
Court heard that a forensic examination of the airbags led to a DNA match with McCarron.
Defence counsel stated that the defendant had been driving since he was 17 and appeared with nothing relevant on his record.
It was heard McCarron worked as a forklift builder and lived at home with his parents.
On the night in question, defence counsel explained that the defendant had been out with friends before making the “foolish decision” to make his way home.
He added that this was “out of character” for a “young man that appears bright and intelligent in sobriety”.
District Judge Paul Copeland stated: “You were very heavily intoxicated given this reading,
“You had no business travelling back to Fermanagh in this state”.
McCarron was disqualified from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay a fine of £350, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
The defendant was certified for the drink driving course which would see his ban reduced to one of 12 months if completed.
