Co Tyrone man was found 'asleep' in car beside the fuel pumps at filling station, court hears

Barney Corcoran, aged 24, from Park View in Pomeroy, was also given a four month jail sentence, suspended for three years.

Corcoran admitted driving while unfit through drink/drugs, driving while disqualified, having no insurance and taking a vehicle without authority on June 15 this year.

Prosecuting counsel told Dungannon Magistrates Court that at 10.15am, police received a report about a male slumped in the seat of a car in the forecourt of a filling station on the Ballygawley Road, Dungannon.

The lawyer said the vehicle was beside the fuel pumps and the defendant appeared to be asleep and had a carry out meal on his lap.

He said Corcoran appeared to be very confused when awakened and then went back to eating his meal.

Counsel said he had to be asked more than five times his name and even then he was incoherent.

Checks showed that the defendant had been disqualified and did not have insurance and he was arrested and taken to Dungannon custody suite.

Continuing, the lawyer said police asked what he had been doing at the filling station, and the defendant replied that it was “just a lack of sleep and you would be the same if you had been drinking the night before”.

Counsel added that the defendant was found to have by-products of cocaine and cannabis in his system.

A defence lawyer said Corcoran’s offending had been “wholeheartedly and entirely unacceptable”.

He pointed out that he was considered suitable for community service and asked the court to consider imposing an order.

District Judge Barney McElholm said he did not think community service was suitable.

He remarked that Corcoran had been disqualified in July 2024 and by June 2025 he was back driving again under the influence of drugs with no consideration for the safety of road users.

The judge warned the defendant that if he committed further offences over the next three years he would face a custodial sentence.