A Portadown man who was under the influence of alcohol as he sat in his car eating a Chinese takeaway has been fined and disqualified from driving.
The case of Paul Neville Reid, of Drumard Avenue, was heard at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The 57-year-old was charged with being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol in breath; and failing to provide a specimen of breath.
The court heard that on October 12, 2024, police received a report that the driver of a vehicle outside a Chinese takeaway on the Brownstown Road in Portadown was intoxicated.
Police attended the scene and witnessed Reid sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle with the keys in the ignition and radio on, whilst eating food.
Police spoke to Reid and noted that his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled of alcohol.
A preliminary breath test was conducted which returned a reading of 88 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit in Northern Ireland is 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Reid’s defence lawyer explained that his client had a number of drinks in a local football club and was eating Chinese in his car when police arrived.
He added that Reid had phoned someone to come and collect him, but accepted the keys were in the vehicle so he had the capability to drive.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said that a driving ban was warranted given the combination of offences.
He disqualified Reid from driving for six weeks and imposed a fine of £300, alongside the £15 offender levy.
