Dungannon businessman, clocked driving at 99mph in his Audi Q5 on the M1 near Portadown, was over the drink driving limit, Craigavon court hears
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Stephen Patrick Hurson, aged 43, from Killymeal Park, Dungannon, pleaded guilty at Craigavon Magistrates Court to charges of driving with excess alcohol, speeding and having no driving licence.
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The court heard that on Friday September 13 this year, at 4.30pm, police clocked an Audi Q5 travelling at 99mph on eastbound carriage of the M1 motorway near Junction 12 at Portadown.
Police checks showed Hurson was disqualified from driving until tested. He told police that his disqualification had ended, that he had a licence but not with him. He failed a preliminary breath test.
At Lurgan custody suite, Hurson provided an evidential sample which was 51 micrograms of alcohol to 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
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Hide AdMr McKeown, who said his client has a relevant record, revealed that Hurson’s then partner, now wife, had taken ‘very seriously ill’ and was in hospital.
The barrister said his client had later taken a couple of drinks ‘due to the stress of this’ but then later Hurson got a call to say his partner was being discharged from hospital.
"He panicked. He jumped in the car. He realised he had a couple of drinks but he chanced he wouldn’t be over the limit and drove towards the hospital. He was running late because this all came on very quickly. He completely accepts that this was unacceptable,” said Mr McKeown.
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Hide AdDistrict Judge Michael Ranaghan asked if Hurson had told police this when he was stopped. Mr McKeown said he believed his client shared a basic outline with police.
The barrister said Hurson is an electrician who founded his own business which employs six people in Dublin. “He realises he is going to lose his licence for a lengthy period,” said Mr McKeown.
Mr McKeown explained that Hurson is disqualified from driving until tested. He took a test in the Republic of Ireland and he thought that would ‘have covered him’. “That’s why he said he had a licence,” said the barrister.
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Hide Ad"He has only recently married as well and this has all come at a very bad time for him in terms of assisting her and the other family members who have taken ill as well as run his business. But he accepts that is his own doing,” said Mr McKeown.
The district judge said he had scanned the papers and doesn’t see anywhere those issues being outlined to police either during the initial arrest or during the drink driving procedure but added the papers were voluminous.
"Mr Hurson, your record does you no favours when it comes to drink driving offences. It effectively ties my hand with a minimum disqualification. I do give some credence to what Mr McKeown says on your behalf,” the district judge said. “But the problem is you were doing 99 miles per hour whilst over the drink driving limit.”
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Hide AdHe banned Hurson from driving for three years and four months for driving with excess alcohol plus a £200 fine and the £15 offender levy. For speeding and no driving licences he was given concurrent driving bans of six months plus a £100 fine.