A nurse was caught over the limit after she was stopped by police for a faulty headlight, a court has heard.
The 46-year-old’s defence stated that his client had been drinking at a relative’s home on her first day off in a number of months and made the “foolish decision” to drive home, believing she was fit to do so.
Deidre Gwynne, of Bloomhill Road, Kilmore had a plea of guilty to driving with excess alcohol entered on her behalf at Armagh Magistrates’, sitting at Lisburn, on Tuesday.
Giving a brief outline, prosecution stated that on June 15 at 1.40am, police stopped the defendant driving on the Loughgall Road, Armagh.
Gwynne failed a preliminary breath test at the roadside and a subsequent evidential test in custody gave a reading of 63mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Defence barrister Conor Coulter stated: “This is a woman who has been working through the Covid crisis as an auxiliary nurse and care assistant.
“This had been her one day off in a number of months, she had been drinking at a relative’s home and fell asleep. She woke up at around 2am, she thought she was OK to drive and made that foolish decision.”
He added that police had initially stopped Gwynne for a defective headlight.
District Judge Amanda Henderson commented: “She has pleaded guilty and has a very limited record.”
The defendant was disqualified from driving for 12 months and was ordered to pay £250, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 12 weeks.
Gwynne was certified for the drink driving course which would see her ban reduced to one of nine months upon completion.
