Enniskillen court house
A SEVENTY YEAR old Derrygonnelly man who went to the pub to watch a Fermanagh match has found himself losing his licence after being caught drink driving.
Patrick Maguire from Killydrum Road, Killydrum, Derrygonnelly admitted driving with excess alcohol and was disqualified from driving for three years and fined £250 as this was his second drink driving conviction.
The court heard that on June 2 police were on duty in the Derrygonnelly area when they saw a Peugeot 406 car which was been driven very slowly.
Officers saw the car indicate to turn right onto Mill Lane. It then turned right again and as it did so the car mounted the footpath and appear to stall.
The car then continued along the road slowing to a walking pace with the driver of the car, the defendant, signalling for the police car (who was directly behind him) to overtake him.
Police stopped the car and spoke to the defendant and explained he had been stopped for the way in which he was driving.
Upon detecting a smell of alcohol on his breath police asked the defendant to do a roadside breath test. A roadside reading of 73mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath was provided.
The defendant was arrested and taken to Enniskillen station where an evidential specimen revealed a reading of 78mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than double the legal limit.
Michelle McVeigh, defending, said her client was a 70 year old bachelor who lives alone in a rural area.
She said her client doesn’t own a television and had gone to the pub to watch the Fermanagh match.
Ms McVeigh said her client helps his brother on a farm to look after some cattle.
The loss of the defendant’s licence, she said, will have a ‘devastating effect’ on his life and will probably mean he will have to relocate and dispose of his pets and livestock – due to the lack of public transport in this area.
The solicitor admitted her client had a relevant record but said this was over nine years ago.
Deputy District Judge Liam McStay said there would have to be a three year ban and also imposed the £250 fine.
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