Motorist found slumped in van after collision at Magherafelt had 'extremely high' alcohol level reading
A man found by police slumped over in a van on the outskirts of Magherafelt, has lost his licence for three years.
Magherafelt Magistrates Court heard that police received an emergency call about a collision and a vehicle heading towards Castledawson at approximately 2.30pm on October 24 last year.
James Patrick Maguire, aged 35, of Ballydonaghy Meadows, Crumlin, was fined a total of £425 with a £15 offender’s levy for driving with excess alcohol in blood, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to remain and report the accident.
Prosecuting counsel said police found Maguire slumped over with his clothes soaked in urine and a bottle of vodka in the vehicle. He had to be escorted by police and later provided a blood specimen showing an alcohol count of 188 mg per 100 mililitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg.
The lawyer said Maguire had collided with another vehicle which sustained damage to the panels of the driver’s door.
He added that during a police interview the defendant and gave a ‘no comment’ reply to all questions.
A defence lawyer said the defendant runs a small gardening business and the result of these proceedings will have a quite an effect on him and a devastating impact on his work.
Imposing the penalities District Judge Conor Heaney said it was “an extremely high reading” and the defendant, according to the police, was clearly incapable of driving on this occasion.
He remarked that he had also to take into account the defendant’s relevant record.