Lurgan man who drove away from a 'physical' dispute with friends during a night out, was more than three times over the limit, Craigavon court hears
A man who drove away from a physical dispute with friends during a night out, was more than three times the drink drive limit, a court has heard.
The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
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Declan Duff, of Prospect Way, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court.
The court heard police received a report of a suspected drink driver on May 15 this year at around 11.45pm.
He was reported to be ‘driving all over the road’.
Police were in the Gilford Road, Portadown area and spotted a black Corsa. They noted the driver had dilated pupils, slurred speech and delayed responses to police questions with ‘incoherent responses’, the court heard.
While under arrest at Lurgan police station, Duff’s lower evidential breath test was 117 micrograms of alcohol to breath. The legal drink driving limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
His solicitor, Mr Harry McCourt, said the defendant on that day, had no intention of driving whatsoever.
"He had been socialising with friends when a dispute broke out. The argument had gotten physical and he got into the car to drive away. He accepts he shouldn’t have driven that car,” said the solicitor.
He is very, very concerned about losing his licence,” said Mr McCourt, saying Duff is aware it would be for a considerable time due to the previous entry on his record.
The solicitor said Duff works in a factory in Magheralin with early starts at times when public transport is not available.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan banned Duff from driving for three-and-a-half years and fined him £250 plus a £15 offender levy.