District judge says Dungannon driver with high alcohol reading after leaving a party in Cookstown was 'clearly a danger to other road users'

Before the court was 40-year-old Roman Bisaga from Ardglena Court, Dungannon, who was fined £250 with a £15 offender’s levy and disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Bisaga admitted driving while having consumed excess alcohol in breath on August 24.

Prosecuting counsel said police stopped the car in the vicinity of Dungannon Road, Cookstown, and on speaking to Bisaga noticed a strong smell of intoxicating liquor coming from him and that his speech was slurred.

After failing a roadside breath test, he was arrested and taken to Dungannon custody suite where he provided an evidential specimen showing an alcohol reading of 90 mcgs per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.

Counsel added that once sober, the defendant was charged to appear before the court.

Defence lawyer Blaine Nugent stressed Bisaga had pleaded guilty to the offence at the earliest opportunity.

Mr Nugent said the defendant worked at an engineering firm at Granville and that employment is going to be lost as a result of his disqualification.

The defendant also is responsible for doing three school runs for his son and he does not know what he is going to do about them.

The lawyer explained that Bisaga had been at a party in Cookstown with friends, and after waiting around sometime, thought he was okay to drive.

"He instructs it will never happen again,” he added.

District Judge Barney McElholm remarked it was a high reading and he “clearly was a danger to other road users”.