Cookstown drink-driver left home person he met in a shop who was stuck for a lift, court told
A factory worker who decided to leave home a person he met in a shop in Cookstown, has lost his licence for 16 months for drink-driving.
Thirty-four-year-old Bongani Mthombeni from Old Rectory Meadows in Cookstown, was also fined £250 with a £15 offender's levy for driving while having consumed excess alcohol.
Dungannon Magistrates Court heard on Friday that on November 10 at approximately 4am, police observed a car serving across the central white line and braking on the Carland Road, Dungannon.
Counsel prosecuting said police stopped the vehicle and on speaking to the defendant detected a smell of intoxicating liquor and noticed his eyes were glazed and his speech slurred.
She added that he later provided a breath specimen showing a reading of 86mcgs.
Admitting the offence Jarlath Faloon, solicitor, explained that the defendant had no intention of driving but had met a person in a shop who couldn’t get a lift home to Dungannon, and he decided to drive them.
Mr Faloon said Mthombeni is a Zimbabwe national who has been living in Northern Ireland for eight years and worked in a local factory.
He stressed that the defendant did not have a record.
District Judge Francis Rafferty allowed the defendant 16 weeks to discharge the fine.