A Craigavon man who admitted having two pints after meeting his friend on the way to the chippy has been disqualified for 12 months for drink driving.
David Samuel Wallace, 47, of Clonmeen, pleaded guilty at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday to driving with excess alcohol in his breath.
The incident occurred on May 18 at around 6.40pm, when police responded to reports of a drink driver on the Drumgor Road, Portadown.
Officers signalled the Volkswagen Passat to stop but Wallace failed to do so.
Police followed the defendant to his home address, and it was there they noted, as he exited the vehicle, that he was unsteady on his feet.
When approached Wallace refused to give a breath test and attempted to close the front door on police.
The defendant was arrested with an initial reading of 67mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Another sample was taken in custody which gave a reading of 60mg.
It was heard that Wallace had one relevant entry on his record which dated back to 2001.
Defence barrister Conor Lunny told District Judge Bernie Kelly he was aware she “would not be impressed”.
He explained the defendant had gone to the chippy on the day in question before “bumping into a friend who invited him into a beer garden for two pints”.
Mr Lunny added Wallace was aware of what was going to happen and accepted he should not have driven especially as it would have only taken him four to five minutes to walk home.
The defendant was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £500, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 16 weeks.
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