A Co Armagh man caught driving over the influence for the fifth time has been disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Martin Joseph McKernan, 38, of Milltown Lane, Portadown, was also fined £300 at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where he appeared charged with driving with excess alcohol.
The court was told that at 1am on February 10 this year, police were conducting a patrol in Lurgan, when they spotted a Volkswagen Golf leaving a pub car park.
The manner of driving aroused suspicion and the vehicle was stopped by police.
The driver was observed with slurred speech and glazed eyes and a preliminary breath test of 67 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath was returned – the legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
He was taken to custody and an evidential reading of 61 microgrammes was returned.
District Judge Francis Rafferty pointed out this was his fifth drink-driving conviction, but the defence stated the most recent was 13 years ago.
“He’s not been in trouble in some considerable time,” they stated.
“He took a very stupid decision to drive a very short distance”, the defence added.
District Judge Rafferty commented: “It’s not the highest reading but it’s his fifth drinking and driving, albeit there is a gap.”
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