Enniskillen Court House
A 32-year-old contractor found drunk in the driver’s seat of his vehicle tried to hide the car keys from police.
Mark Stephen McCusker of Glenview Park Tempo was fined £400 and a further four months was added to an existing driving disqualification when he appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
The prosecutor outlined that on December 2, 2012 at 2.15am in the Eden Street Car Park, Enniskillen CCTV footage showed a male enter the driver’s side door of a Renault Clio.
When police arrived at the scene they spoke to the male, McCusker and when he got out of the vehicle noted a smell of intoxicating liquor, that he was unsteady on his feet and his eyes were glazed.
The defendant had tried to hide the keys of the vehicle, but they were found under the car.
He was arrested and escorted to Omagh police station where he refused to provide an evidential breath sample.
He denied any intention on his part to drive the vehicle, but admitted having the keys on his person.
Defence solicitor Myles McManus explained that the father-of-two hadn’t driven since March 2013 when he was given a two year disqualification from driving for ‘not dissimilar offences’ and noted that the vehicle in question had since been sold.
In regards to the time taken for the case to come before the court, Mr McManus explained that his client had put the notice ‘to one side and simply forgot about it’.
He apologised on behalf of McCusker and urged the judge not to interfere with his current driving disqualification.
Deputy district judge Laura Ievers acknowledged that this was a matter of some vintage and said his previous conviction was a ‘significant concern’.
The deputy district judge imposed the fine and further four month disqualification meaning McCusker will not be eligible to drive again until July 2015.
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