Co Armagh man drove friend's car into a roundabout after a night out in the Moy, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh man had been on a night out when he lost control of his friend’s car and ended up veering into a roundabout, Craigavon court has heard.
Josh Lowey, aged 18, from Doohat Road, near Keady, appeared on crutches before Craigavon Magistrates Court, charged with driving with excess alcohol in his breath and not having insurance.
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The court heard that shortly after 3am on February 2 this year, police were on routine patrol when they spotted a vehicle ‘obstructing a roundabout’ on the Portadown Road, Dobbin Hill, Richhill.
Police noted it appeared damaged in a single-vehicle road traffic collision. The driver was nearby and identified himself as the defendant.
He failed a preliminary breath test and was arrested at 3.20am. It also transpired he had no insurance for the vehicle. When he was taken to Lurgan custody suite he tested 59 micrograms of alcohol to 100 millilitres of breath. The legal alcohol limit for drivers in Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Lowey’s barrister said her client and his friend were on a night out in the Moy when he “made the reckless decision” to drive his friend’s car home instead of waiting for a taxi or a lift.
"There was a slight collision in that he had slowed down at the oncoming roundabout but the car had stalled. That had caused him to lose control and veer into the roundabout,” said the barrister.
She said Lowey works for his father who is in the transport business.
"His father is in court today. He is gravely disappointed with his son. He has not only lost a driver for his business but understand the severity of Mr Lowey losing his licence this morning,” said the barrister.
She added the crutches were due to an unrelated incident.
She said her client is very sorry for his actions. “He has never been in court before and intends never to be in court again,” the barrister said.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “This is going to cost you. Your insurance is going to go up dramatically.”
He banned Lowey from driving for 12 months and ordered him to pay a £200 fine plus £15 offender levy. For no insurance he was banned from driving for six months and fined £100.