A Newry man who was found to be driving whilst over twice the legal limit has been handed a 12 month disqualification.
Court heard that police observed the 49-year-old driving from side to side on the Dublin Road in Newry at 3.30am.
Aiden Francis Fearon, of Boat Street, had a plea of guilty entered on his behalf to driving with excess alcohol and using a vehicle without insurance at the City’s Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that on April 4, at 3.30am, police on patrol in Newry observed a Hyundai being driven on the Dublin Road moving from side to side.
Officers spoke to the driver of the vehicle, who was identified as the defendant. They noted a strong smell of intoxicating liquor on his breath and that his speech was slurred.
A preliminary breath test resulted in a fail and a subsequent evidential sample obtained in custody gave a reading of 75mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Prosecution informed court that Fearon had three previous convictions, the last being for driving with excess alcohol and no insurance back in 2003.
Defence counsel stated: “I ask that he is given credit for his immediate plea. He had been in some distress at the time as he thought someone was threatening him.”
Fearon was disqualified from driving for 12 months and was ordered to pay a fine of £400, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
District Judge Eamon King certified the defendant for the drink driving course which would see his ban reduced to one of nine months upon completion.
