Castledawson drink driver spotted mounting the kerb in Cookstown hadn't wanted his girlfriend to be stranded, court hears
The driver of a car spotted by a police patrol mounting the kerb at Molesworth Street in Cookstown, has lost his licence for four years.
Christopher Samuel Doey, aged 37, from Castle Oak, Castledawson, was also fined £500 with a £15 offender's levy for driving while having consumed excess alcohol in breath.
Imposing the penalties, District Judge Francis Rafferty told Doey he had been three times over the limit, had a previous conviction and was a danger to other road users.
Prosecuting counsel told Dungannon Magistrates Court that police were on mobile patrol on December 20 at approximately 2.05am when they observed a car mount the kerb outside Sports Direct.
The lawyer said Doey provided a positive specimen of breath and was arrested and taken into custody where he provided an evidential specimen showing an alcohol reading of 100 mcgs per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.
Defence solicitor Stephen Atherton explained that the defendant had been in drinking in a bar after finishing up work for Christmas and had no intention of driving.
Mr Atherton said Doey had received a call from his girlfriend who had been in Cookstown.
He said the defendant foolishly decided to go and get her as he did not want her stranded.
The solicitor added that the loss of his licence could have a detrimental impact on the defendant, as he worked as a plasterboarder in Dublin and could lose the contract.
Judge Rafferty remarked that he should not have been driving and there were “worse places to be stranded than Cookstown”.