Sparks coming from car's flat tyre led to drink-related detection for Larne man
A drink-related detection came to light after a car with a flat tyre "with sparks coming from the wheel" was spotted in the Larne area, a court has heard.
The driver then pulled into a lay-by where he was seen to be unsteady on his feet and holding onto the car for balance.
Ballymena Magistrates Court was told that when police arrived on the scene after 8.50pm on October 18 this year, the defendant – Alan David McGarry (56), whose address was listed as Upper Waterloo Road in Larne – was attempting to change the wheel.
The court heard how he was unsteady and that the officers could smell alcohol.
The court was told McGarry had a preliminary alcohol in breath reading of 170 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 - but that he failed to provide an evidential sample when taken to a police station.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to provide an evidential sample.
A defence barrister said that after "drinking most of the day alone" the defendant had "an issue with his tyre, he clipped a roundabout".
He had been driving for 36 years "without any blemish".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said he was concerned about the high preliminary breath test result but preliminary readings were sometimes "not entirely accurate".
He said the sentence had to reflect the absence of an evidential reading and banned the defendant from driving for 14 months along with a £300 fine.