Enniskillen Court House, RMGFH04
A 46-year-old drink driver more than three times the legal limit has been disqualified from driving for two years and fined £300.
Cera Sludden, of Dooish Road, Dromore gave an evidential reading 131mg per 100ml of breath, a colossal 96mg over the legal limit and was convicted at Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
The prosecutor outlined that on December 17, 2015 at 6.50pm police received a report of a member of the public driving a red Vauxhall red Astra who they believed to be under the influence of alcohol. Conducting enquiries police observed the vehicle parked on the side of the road on the Enniskillen Road, Irvinestown. Officers spoke to the driver Sludden and detected a smell of alcohol from her. She failed a preliminary breath test and at the police station gave a lower evidential reading of 131mg, 96 in excess of the legal limit.
Defence barrister Heather Philips accepted this was an extremely high reading, but noted Sludden’s difficulties with alcohol and her mental health. She told the court Sludden and her family had owned and operated their own business, but this had to close due to these difficulties.
Ms Philips explained that the defendant was in receipt of incapacity benefit and DLA and that her difficulties were “ongoing”.
On the evening in question the defence said that Sludden had been drinking in Enniskillen and then made the decision to drive home. She highlighted to the court the defendant’s previous clear record, her guilty plea at the first opportunity and called it a “very unfortunate situation.”
Ms Philips asked that the court take into account her client’s circumstances and said difficulties had manifested in recent years in the life of the married mother of two.
District judge Nigel Broderick gave Sludden credit for her clear record and early plea, but said the clear aggravating factor in the case was the “very high reading”, which “must be reflected in the sentence”. In imposing his sentence the judge ruled that the defendant was suitable for the drink driving course, which upon successful completion would qualify her for a 25% reduction in her disqualification.
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