A Co. Down man who collided with a roundabout sign before veering into a field in Portadown has been disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Connor Travers, 22, of Pinewood View, Newcastle, appearing before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol in his breath, dangerous driving, and having no insurance.
The incident occurred on January 24, when police received numerous reports of a Seat Leon on the Gilford Road area of the town, overtaking vehicles at speed.
A later report told officers the same vehicle, which had been driven into a roundabout and colliding with road signs, before veering into and coming to rest in a field.
When police arrived at the scene they found the defendant standing beside his car.
They noted he appeared unsteady on his feet and smelt strongly of alcohol.
Travers failed a preliminary breath test at the roadside and another which was carried out in custody gave a reading of 83mg of alcohol in 100mls of breath.
In interview, the defendant accepted his driving fell well below what was expected.
Defence counsel stated Travers had no record and had been visiting family on the day in question.
He went on to say that the defendant had “foolishly” decided to drive home and was “lucky neither himself or someone else was injured”.
District Judge Bernie Kelly banned Travers from driving for 12 months and ordered him to pay a fine of £750, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 20 weeks.
