Co Tyrone builder handed two-year road ban for drink-driving
A 63-year-old Co Tyrone builder spotted by police driving out of a pub car park, lost his licence for two years when he appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Friday.
The court heard police were on mobile patrol in a livery police car in the Augher area at 8pm on June 21 when they saw a black Toyota access the road from McKenna’s Bar car park at Main Street.
Before the court was Martin Gerald McElhatton, of Dunroe Road, Augher, who was also fined £300 with a £15 offender’s levy when he was convicted of driving while having consumed excess alcohol in breath.
District Judge Francis Rafferty told the defendant he was an unbelievable witness and “not a word of truth had come out of his mouth.”
The driver of the police car said his attention was drawn to the Toyota which came out of the carpark and had its two front tyres on the road, as it reversed back into the carpark.
He turned the car around as he suspected the driver may have drink consumed. The officer said on speaking to McElhatton, it was clear he was intoxicated and his eyes were glazed.
The defendant failed a preliminary breath test and he was arrested and taken to Dungannon station, where he provided an evidential specimen showing an alcohol reading of 82 mcgs per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.
McElhatton denied the car was on the road. He said he was moving it within the carpark, which is on private property, as it was parked “in a bad place” for vehicles coming in and out.