A man who drove whilst over the limit with his child in the vehicle has been disqualified for 12 months.
The district judge stated: “The only reason I am not ordering a pre-sentence report is his lack of a record. Any person that is prepared to kill their own child should be considered for immediate custody.”
Marius Ivoska, 37, of Clendinning Way, Portadown pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
It was heard that on November 23, at 7.30pm, police received a report of a suspected intoxicated male who had reversed into another vehicle at an address in Portadown.
A short time later, officers knocked on the door of the defendant’s home.
They were let in by Ivoska and another male who both smelled of intoxicating liquor.
Police observed a bin of empty bottles and a number of open bottles of wine on a coffee table.
The defendant informed the officers that he had been involved in a collision but that it had happened two hours prior.
A preliminary breath test was conducted resulting in a fail; whilst in custody, a reading of 105mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath was obtained.
District Judge Bernie Kelly stated: “More than that he put a child in the car and drove off. When his fellow countrymen offered to drive he didn’t care.
“This is ridiculous, 105 how long after he is supposed to have driven? At 7.30 in the evening?”
Defence barrister Conor Coulter said: “He accepts that he had been drinking prior to the incident. He is a lorry driver.”
District Judge Kelly interjected: “Not anymore he isn’t”.
She stated: “The only reason I am not ordering a pre-sentence report is his lack of a record. Any person that is prepared to kill their own child should be considered for immediate custody.”
Ivoska was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £350, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 12 weeks.
