Lurgan man caught driving Land Rover Freelander erratically on the M1, had cocaine in his system, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh man, who was caught driving erratically on the M1, had cocaine in his system, a court has heard.
Michael Patrick McCann, aged 43, from Belvedere Manor, Lurgan, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with driving while unfit through drink or drugs and dangerous driving.
-
-
His solicitor Mr John McCamley said the defendant pleaded guilty to both charges.
The court heard that on September 29 last year at 2.30am, police received a report of a suspected drunk driver in a red Land Rover Freelander on the M1 travelling eastbound towards junction 12.
The vehicle was followed by a member of the public who stayed with it after it left the motorway and drove into Portadown town centre where it was stopped by police.
"The driver was driving for a prolonged period, driving excessively slowly and weaving in between and out of the lines erratically,” said the prosecutor.
She said police spoke to the defendant and found his eyelids were droopy and glazed, his speech slurred.
“At one point in conversation with police he slumped backwards and onto the centre console of the car as if he was about to fall asleep,” she said.
His preliminary and evidential sample of breath was zero. However, a blood sample sent for analysis showed cocaine in his system.
Mr McCamley said his client apologises for his behaviour. “He doesn’t proffer any excuse. He shouldn’t have got into the car. He shouldn’t have taken cocaine,” said the solicitor, adding that the driving was “at the lower end” of dangerous driving.
"He has his own sorrows in life,” said the solicitor, outlining that his client has a number of serious illnesses and the reason to “numb” the pain,
He also pointed out his client hadn’t been in trouble since 2012 and has managed to build up his own scaffolding business. “Because of his ill health that has been declining,” said Mr McCamley.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he would give McCann the minimum disqualification due to the “significant” medical issues, saying: “You are someone who doesn’t have their troubles to seek.”
For each of the two charges the defendant was banned from driving for 12 months and £200 fines for each also plus the offender levy of £15.