Co Tyrone teenage drink driver nearly collided with traffic island in Cookstown, court told
A teenager spotted driving a car erratically and nearly colliding with a traffic island in Cookstown, has lost his licence for a year.
Terence James Nugent, aged 18, from Main Street in Pomeroy, was also fined £750 with a £15 offender's levy for driving while having consumed excess alcohol in breath.
Dungannon Magistrates Court was told that at 9.45pm a report was received by police from a concerned member of the public about a car being driven erratically in Cookstown.
Prosecuting counsel said it was reported as swerving from side to side on the road and almost colliding with a traffic island at Church Street.
The lawyer said the car was later found parked up at Fountain Road. Nugent provided an evidential breath specimen showing an alcohol reading of 72 mcgs per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.
Counsel added that the defendant did not have a record.
A defence lawyer said Nugent had been planning to stay with friends but took chance to go and “get one or two things from a shop”.
He said the defendant is an apprentice plumber and although the loss of his licence will not result in him losing his employment, it will have an impact on his life as he will not be able to get around.
The lawyer said Nugent regretted the incident as he had just passed his driving test a year ago.
Deputy District Judge Philip Mateer told Nugent he had been twice the legal limit and his driving had put himself and innocent road users at risk.