Draperstown kitchen fitter given seven-day disqualification for being in charge of van with excess alcohol

Kitchen fitter Eamon Irwin, from Tobermore Road, was also fined £200 with a £15 offender's levy arising out of an incident at a car park on the Wood Road, Tobermore, on February 12.

Magherafelt Magistrates Court was told on Wednesday that police were conducting a mobile patrol in the Tobermore area when they came across a Transit van parked in the car park at approximately 9.30pm.

Prosecuting counsel said there were two males in the vehicle and the passenger door was open and from the internal light police suspected drink-driving.

She said the defendant was in the driving seat and provided a breath test which showed a fail.

Although the prosecutor did not give an alcohol reading, a defence lawyer said it was “not a high reading”.

He stressed that Irwin, who has three points on his licence, had not been driving.