A Portadown man has been disqualified from driving for 12 months after being caught over the limit in the driver’s seat of a parked car.
Court heard that the 46-year-old gave a false name to police when cautioned, with his true identity only being revealed after a fingerprinting procedure.
Robertas Rybakovas, of Jervis Street, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol and obstructing police at Craigavon Magistrates’ on Friday, via videolink from Maghaberry.
It was heard that on December 21, at around 12.30am, police on patrol of South Street, Portadown, spotted the defendant in the driver seat of a car.
The ignition was not on but the keys were beside the gearbox.
Officers noted that Rybakovas appeared heavily intoxicated and a preliminary breath test was carried out, which resulted in a fail.
When cautioned, the defendant provided police with a fake name and date of birth of July 1965.
Later an evidential reading showed Rybakovas to have 111mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The defendant’s true identification was detected during a fingerprinting procedure.
Defence counsel told court that Rybakovas was due for release on Monday and wished to have the matter dealt with.
He explained that the defendant had been in the car drinking with three friends and had no intention of driving.
It was heard that police observed that the tyres, brake pads and bonnet of the car were not warm, so it was judged that the vehicle had not been driven recently.
Rybakovas was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £350, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 16 weeks.
