An Armagh man who was caught drink driving by an off-duty police officer has been disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Court heard the 49-year-old came to the attention of the officer due to the erratic nature of his driving.
Patrick Tennyson, of Drumarg Park, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
It was heard that on May 26, at 7.47am, an off-duty police officer travelling on the Mullahead Road, Portadown, spotted a Volkswagen Jetta being driven erratically.
The officer followed the car and it pulled over into a lay-by.
He approached the defendant and after smelling intoxicating liquor on his breath arrested him.
Uniformed police arrived shortly after and conveyed Tennyson to Lurgan Custody Suite.
A breath test was conducted which resulted in a reading of 55mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
When cautioned, the defendant said that he was sorry.
Defence solicitor Siun Downey stated: “Mr Tennyson’s record is particularly relevant. He instructs he had taken a few drinks with friends. He thought he was okay to drive but obviously he wasn’t.”
Tennyson was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £300, along with the offender’s levy of £15 within 12 weeks.
