Coalisland drink driver told police he 'had one earlier'

Appearing before East Tyrone Magistrate’s Court was Joseph Hughes, 31, from Washingbay Road in Coalisland.

Police reported how they were travelling along Annagher Road just before 1am on April 8 when they saw a red car going towards Coalisland hit the kerb.

They turned and followed the car and saw it drift across the central line several times. Hughes, a factory operative, mounted the grass verge as he attempted to bring the car to a halt.

At the scene he told police: “I had one earlier”. He later provided a breath sample over one and a half times the limit.

Handing down a fine of £250 and banning him from the road for a year, Deputy District Judge Anne Marshall told the defendant that he was lucky that no-one had been injured or killed during the incident.