Ben Wylie: Portadown footballer and ex-Celtic player caught drink-driving in Ballymena after having 'a few beers with his team mates'

23-year-old Ben Wylie, who now plays for Portadown in the Northern Ireland Football League, had been drinking after his side's first league match of the season.

On Saturday, August 9 he had played in a 1-0 home defeat to Glentoran.

He was in the dock at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday, September 4 and pleaded guilty to the charge of driving with excess alcohol in his breath.

The detection was made at Springwell Street in Ballymena at 1am on Sunday, August 10 this year.

A prosecutor outlined to the court that police had observed a vehicle drive up and park. The defendant exited from the driver's seat and walked towards The Grouse Bar and that he was "unsteady on his feet and walking in a staggered manner".

When officers spoke to the defendant they smelt alcohol, the court heard. When arrested he had an alcohol in breath reading of 73 - the legal limit is 35.

The defendant had no previous record, the court was told.

A defence solicitor said said the defendant plays for Portadown FC and after turning out for his team that day he had a "few beers with his team mates".

He had gone home and "hadn't intended to drive that night but got a message from his girlfriend that she wanted collected. He thought he was OK at that stage to drive. Obviously he wasn't", the solicitor told the court.

The solicitor said the defendant had co-operated fully with police.

As well as playing football, Wylie had been working as a delivery driver but with the conviction "that job will now be gone," the lawyer said.

District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant, whose address was listed as Woodcroft Heights in Ballymena, that he was taking into account a clear record and a guilty plea at the first opportunity.

Wylie was banned from driving for one year and was also fined £300. When the driving ban is up he will have to re-sit his driving test to get back on the roads.