Drink driver detected in Craigavon wasn't wearing a seatbelt and had a vodka bottle in driver's door, court hears
A Co Armagh pensioner, who was over the alcohol limit when police spotted she wasn’t wearing a seat belt, has been banned from driving.
The 69-year-old appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol, no driving licence and failing to wear a seat belt as a driver.
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Gerti McMahon, from Pinebank, Craigavon was spotted by police driving a BMW on the Lake Road, Craigavon on May 1 this year and she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.
The court heard that when the car was stopped, police noted a quarter bottle of vodka in the door pocket.
An evidential breath test resulted in 47 micrograms of alcohol to 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Further checks showed the defendant’s driving licence had expired.
McMahon’s barrister, Ms Ciara O’Neill, said her client comes before the court with a clear criminal record.
"This is her first time ever being before the court and feels extremely anxious to be here. Clearly this behaviour is completely out of character,” said the barrister.
"There’s no excuse for the offending, she readily accepts that,” said Ms O’Neill.
She explained that her client had taken a drink at home with her husband that evening and “without realising she was over the limit” she drove a short distance to a local shop to buy painkillers.
Ms O’Neill said it wasn’t the highest reading and there was “no suggestion she was driving dangerously”.
She added that her client’s licence had only expired three weeks previously.
"She’s well aware she is going to lose her licence today,” said the barrister asking the court to keep any ban to a minimum.
Ms O’Neill said it will have a “significant impact” on the defendant and her husband who doesn’t drive.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “It’s a pity to see someone of your age in court for the first time.”
Regarding the vodka bottle in the car he said it was “ill-advised”.
He banned the defendant from driving for 12 months for the driving with excess and £150 fine. A a one-month driving ban was imposed for failing to wear a seat belt and a £100 fine. The defendant was fined £100 for having no driving licence.