Enniskillen Court House
AN Enniskillen woman has been disqualified from driving for three and a half years after being caught drink driving at almost three times the legal limit.
Margaret Melarkey (37) of Derrin Park appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court last Wednesday to face the charge.
The court heard that police were alerted to a suspected drink driver at 7.55pm on April 14th this year.
The white Toyota car had been seen driving in an erratic manner at Dead Man’s Lane at Trory. When police arrived at the scene and stopped Melarkey, they detected a smell of alcohol.
The defendant had failed a preliminary breath test at the roadside and was taken to Omagh Police Station where an evidential breath test returned a reading of 96 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – a total of 61 micrograms in excess of the legal limit.
Defence barrister Steffan Rafferty said that this was his client’s second conviction for drink driving in a number of years.
Referring to the defendant’s “traumatic and difficult time” as detailed in a pre-sentence report prepared for the case, Mr Rafferty added: “The date in question was quite a significant one and the pressure, stress and upset of this gave rise to her consumption of alcohol and subsequently getting behind the wheel.
“She had consumed a significant amount of alcohol at home and then felt the need to get out of the house. She made a very bad decision and it’s one that she deeply regrets now,” Mr Rafferty said.
He also requested a probation order for his client, who works in retail and is currently a student: “This would give some structure to her life and lead her away from those problematic aspects of it,” he added.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan was also told that Melarkey lives at home with her elderly parents and would require her licence as she assists them with driving.
The judge said that while he appreciated the background circumstances behind the offending, he would have to take into account the very high reading.
Melarkey was banned from driving for three and a half years until retested and fined £315. An 18 month probation order was also imposed.
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