South Derry motorist given seven-day ban for being in-charge of car while unfit at Maghera
A Draperstown motorist was given a seven-day driving disqualification at Magherafelt Magistrates Court on Wednesday for being in charge of a car while unfit through drink or drugs.
Forty-six-year-old Geraldine Gibson, from Dromdallagan, was also fined £250 with a £15 offender’s levy in respect of the charge. She was fined a further £75 for having no driving licence.
The court heard that on July 29, 2024, at approximately 6.30pm, police on mobile patrol at Coleraine Road, Maghera, stopped with the defendant who was sitting in the driving seat of a car containing adult passengers.
Prosecuting counsel said they had reasonable suspicions that she had been drinking and noted that the key was in the ignition and the engine was running.
A defence lawyer pointed out that the defendant had broken her back in a fall in 2023 and for a period had been consuming alcohol.
She added Gibson had been living at various addresses in Draperstown and this had resulted in her licence expiring.