Lisburn teen banned from the roads for drink driving

Christopher Adams, 18, whose address was given as Blaris Walk, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court charged with driving with excess alcohol in breath.

The court heard that on January 17, 2026 at 1.10am police on mobile patrol stopped a Ford Fiesta being driven by the defendant on the Prince William Road in Lisburn.

The police spoke with the driver, whom they suspected of having taken alcohol.

The defendant failed a roadside breath test and was conveyed to custody, where a second test gave an evidential reading of 52 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.

The court was told that the defendant had no previous criminal record.

Defence stated: “He was at a friend’s house and had organised a lift home. The lift let him down and he drove home. He thought he was okay but was obviously not.”

The Defence lawyer also told the court that the defendant was currently at college for one day per week and worked the other four days.

"He is going to be significantly impacted by this,” he added.

District Judge Mark Hamill disqualified the defendant from driving for 12 months, which will be reduced to nine months on the successful completion of a court sanctioned drink driving course. The defendant will also have to resit his driving test before regaining his licence.

Mr Hamill also fined the defendant £200 and imposed an offender’s levy of £15.