A Warrenpoint man who caused a four vehicle collision whilst driving over three times the limit has been given a 12 month ban.
The 60-year-old’s barrister told court: “The inevitable outcome will have a significant impact on his employment.”
Paul Owen MacKevitt, of Burren Road, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Newry Magistrates’ on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that on November 28, at 7pm, police received a report of a four car collision on the Upper Dromore Road in Warrenpoint.
Officers arrived to find this involved two moving vehicles and two stationary.
They spoke to this defendant, who had been the driver of a Toyota Aygo, and he made admissions to having consumed alcohol that day.
A preliminary breath test was conducted resulting in a fail, with a subsequent evidential sample obtained at Banbridge Custody Suite giving a reading of 112mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – over three times the limit.
Defence barrister Kevin Magill commented that this was a “high reading”.
He explained that on the date there had been a football match on. There were cars parked on both sides of the road, despite cones. MacKevitt had clipped one vehicle then collided with an oncoming car before then hitting a third.
The barrister added: “He has nothing relevant and nothing for many years…..the inevitable outcome will have a significant impact on his employment.”
District Judge Eamonn King commented: “This was a plea at the first opportunity and he has nothing relevant.”
MacKevitt was disqualified from driving for 12 months and was ordered to pay a fine of £200, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
The defendant was certified from the drink driving course which would see his ban reduced to one of nine months upon completion.
