Toome motorist spotted swerving from side to side on the road in Magherafelt, loses licence for 12 months

Bishop Street Courthouse where Magherafelt Magistrates Court is held |Google

A Co Antrim motorist spotted swerving from side to side on the road in Magherafelt, has been fined a total of £400 with a £15 offender’s levy and banned from driving for 12 months at the local Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Thirty-nine-year-old Charlene Mary Rocks, from Moyola View in Toome, admitted charges of driving while unfit through drink/drugs, and failing to provide a specimen of breath on May 17 last year.

The court heard that at approximately 5.45am, police received a call from a concerned member of the public about the driving manner of a vehicle at Broad Street in Magherafelt.

Prosecuting counsel said the car was reported hitting the kerb causing a blow out at the nearside of the vehicle.

She said the reporting person lost contact with the vehicle at Union Road car park, but at 6.10am police spotted it swerving from side to side on the road at Queen’s Avenue almost colliding with parked vehicles.

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The lawyer said police stopped the vehicle and spoke to Rocks, who appeared to be under the influence of drink or drugs. She was arrested and taken into custody where she made no reply.

Counsel said while in custody she refused to cooperate with a police request for an evidential specimen of breath.

A defence lawyer said the defendant was sorry for her behaviour on this occasion, and asked the court to give her credit for her plead of guilty to the charges.

She added that the loss of her driving licence would cause the defendant a lot of trouble.