'˜Appalling' alcohol reading for driver

A Bushmills man claimed he only got behind the wheel of a car to flee a commotion in his girlfriend's house but he was over the limit when detected by police in Coleraine on the weekend of this year's North West 200.

Tony Douglas (26), unemployed of Huey Court, appeared at Coleraine Magistrates Court last Monday and admitted driving with excess alcohol at the Ring Road, Coleraine, on May 15.

Sentencing the defendant a District Judge described his alcohol reading as appaling.

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Poiice saw the vehicle crossing the white line and stopped Douglas and he had an alcohol/breath reading of 113 with the legal limit being 35.

Defence barrister Alan Stewart told the court that Douglas had been at his girlfriend’s house when “some individuals had called ...and created a commotion”.

He said his client felt it was better leaving although he accepts he should not have driven.

District Judge Liam McNally scommented that it was an “appalling” reading and told Douglas that to get into a vehicle and drive it and swerve all over the road it was only by good fortune he didn’t harm himself or anyone else that night.

Douglas was given three months in jail, suspended for 18 months and disqualified from driving for 16 months.

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