A Portadown man who was found to be over the legal limit when he drove after consuming what he described as a “fairly modest amount of Buckfast” has been handed a 12 month ban.
Court heard the 55-year-old was detected by police after indulging in the tonic wine whilst fishing with a friend.
Paul Black, of Old Rectory Park, had a plea of guilty entered on his behalf to driving with excess alcohol at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Prosecution outlined how, on June 12, at around 2.15pm, police stopped the defendant driving a silver Ford car on Corcrain Drive, Portadown.
Upon speaking to Black, officers suspected him to be under the influence of alcohol; his speech was slurred and he smelled of intoxicating liquor.
A preliminary breath test was conducted resulting in a fail, and whilst in Lurgan Custody Suite a sample of blood was taken for testing giving a reading of 109mgs of alcohol in 100mls of blood – the limit being 80mgs.
Defence solicitor Richard Monteith stated: “This was a low reading and a plea at the first opportunity…he had been fishing with a friend and shared what he described as a fairly modest amount of Buckfast.”
District Judge Bernie Kelly disqualified Black for a period of 12 months and ordered that he pay a fine of £250, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 12 weeks.
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