Enniskillen courthouse
A 21-year-old man has been banned from driving after he was caught drink driving at over twice the legal limit, Fermanagh Court has heard.
Patrick Mark Blake, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and was disqualified for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £250.
Blake, of Fitzwilliam Square, Belfast, was driving without the car head-lights switched on when he came to the attention of police officers.
A prosecutor told the court that on June 6, 2014, just after mid-night, police were on patrol on the Sligo Road, Enniskillen, when they spotted the defendant driving at the Scaffog Service Station.
They saw Blake leave the shop, which was in a lit up area, and head out of Enniskillen and on to the Derrylin Road, Drumgallan.
Officers noticed that he did not have any head-lights on and followed him, signalling for him to stop.
Police continued to follow the vehicle and could see that Blake was flickering the head-lights on and off. Blake eventually stopped the car and as officers went to speak with him they could smell intoxicating liqueur.
The defendant was asked for a pre-liminary breath test, which he failed and was subsequently take to Enniskillen Police Station where a further breath test revealed he had 92mg of alcohol in his system, over two times the legal limit.
Defence solicitor Niall Bogue described it as an “unfortunate high reading” and added there were no other aggravating factors.
However, Deputy District Judge Paul Conway, pointed out that Blake continued to flicker the car head-lights on and off and drove in the dark without the head-lights switched on.
Mr Bogue added there was no risky type of behaviour nor was he speeding.
“He accepts this was a serious error of judgement,” he continued.
“He is a 21-year-olds and is a hard working young man.
“He has a job bar tending in the summer and wants to go back to college.
“The defendant has his licence since 2009 and it’s unblemished, this is the first incident to come to the attention of police and he made a plea at the first opportunity.”
Judge Conway added: “Given the fact of his clear licence and the fact he entered a plea I will fine him £250 and disqualify him from driving for 12 months.”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere