Man was found over the legal alcohol limit in the driving seat of his car after an evening out in Lurgan, Craigavon court hears
A man who was found over the limit in the driver’s seat of his car after spending an evening in a Co Armagh bar has been banned from driving.
The 35-year-old blamed family stress for making the ‘stupid decision’ and said he wasn’t aware of the laws in Northern Ireland around being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol.
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Sibin Roy, from Avenue Road, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court heard that a police recovery operator told police that at around 11.50pm on April 18 this year, they spotted a man who appeared to be intoxicated in the front seat of a Ford Fiesta in William Street, Lurgan.
On arrival, police smelled alcohol and spotted the defendant’s car keys on the driver’s seat where he got out of the vehicle.
Roy failed a preliminary breath test with a later evidential test resulting in 87micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal alcohol limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
Roy’s solicitor, Ms Suin Downey, said her client and his wife arrived in Northern Ireland in 2022 initially on a university visa and his wife now works for the Education Authority.
Roy currently works for a health care agency on a zero hour contract and the couple, who both support their elderly parents at home financially, have suffered “family pressures”.
Ms Downey said Roy says “the stupid decision he made was out of pure stress”.
"He had been in a bar in William Street. The car was parked there. He didn’t wish to go home and unfortunately he made the stupid decision to get into his car. He wasn’t aware of the laws but he is fully aware now,” said the solicitor.
She added the defendant has a Provisional licence and had hoped to book his theory test, however she did warn him of the likely outcome after the proceedings.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said the court is aware the defendant wasn’t aware of the laws in Northern Ireland about being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol. He added “that is no defence” but he appreciates the pressure the family were under.
He banned Roy from driving for one month, fined him £200 plus £15 offender levy.