A Banbridge man has been convicted in his absence of driving while unfit through drink or drugs following a dangerous early-morning incident on the A1.
Johnathan David Owen (43), of Iveagh Close, Banbridge, failed to appear at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Monday for a contested hearing. The prosecution applied for witnesses to be excused and asked that the case proceed in the defendant’s absence, which District Judge Eamon King agreed to.
The court heard that on March 9, 2025, police received a report from a motorist travelling south on the A1 who believed the vehicle in front of them was being driven by someone under the influence.
The reporting driver described the vehicle as being driven erratically, almost colliding with a roadside kerb and narrowly avoiding a collision with their own car.
Checks showed the vehicle was registered to Owen at an address in Banbridge. Police attended and observed the driver stumbling out of the vehicle and into a driveway, unsteady on his feet.
Although Owen returned a zero reading in a preliminary breath test, officers detected a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle. He was detained and, when cautioned, replied that he had “smoked a joint earlier in the night”.
Owen was arrested at 6.33am and taken to Banbridge. Blood samples were taken by a forensic medical officer. A report received on June 13 indicated the presence of THC, hydroxy-THC, diazepam and desmethyl-diazepam in his blood at the time the sample was taken.
District Judge King said the case was proved in Owen’s absence and asked about his record, which the prosecution confirmed was “significant”.
Owen was fined £500, ordered to pay an offender levy of £15, and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
