A South Armagh man has been disqualified for three years for his second drink driving offence in the past 10 years.
The 27-year-old’s legal representative asked that his client was given credit for the way in which he had met the matter and “held his hands up” to police at the scene.
Raymond Sean McGuigan, of Dobsons Way in Bessbrook, had pleas of guilty entered on his behalf to no driving licence and driving with excess alcohol at Newry Magistrates’ on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that on July 20, at 1.05am, police on patrol in Bessbrook observed a a Volkswagen Golf abandoned in the middle of the road on Dobsons Way.
Officers were later approached by this defendant, who admitted to being the owner and driver of the vehicle.
It was noted that McGuigan smelled of intoxicating liquor and he admitted to police that he had consumed three pints.
A preliminary breath test resulted in a fail, with a subsequent evidential sample obtained in custody giving a reading of 102mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than two times the legal limit.
Defence counsel asked that McGuigan was given credit for the way in which he had met the matter and “held his hands up” to police at the scene.
He added that given his client’s previous relevant conviction there was an inevitable outcome from proceedings.
District Judge Eamon King disqualified the defendant from driving for a period of three years and ordered that he pay a fine of £300, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
