Woman who was more than three times over drink-driving limit was on her way to Blaris cemetery to visit her mother’s grave
A woman has been banned from the roads for 16 months after being found to be over three times the drink driving limit.
Kathleen Allsopp, 38, whose address was given as Cloona Crescent in Dunmurry, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court on Thursday, April 3, charged with driving with excess alcohol in breath.
The court heard that on Sunday, March 9, 2025, the police received a report of a vehicle being driven in the vicinity of Summerhill Drive in Dunmurry.
The police noted the vehicle was being driven erratically and when the police car pulled up alongside the vehicle, the driver appeared to be almost asleep.
A roadside breath test gave a reading of 117 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
A defence lawyer acknowledged the reading was “very high”.
He continued: “She had reached a crisis point in her life. She was on her way to Blaris cemetery to visit her mother’s grave. She was still grieving her loss.
"She has attended a number of counselling sessions. This is an aberration.”
District Judge Rosie Watters disqualified the defendant from driving for 16 months, which can be reduced to 12 months on the completion of a drink driving course. The defendant will also have to resit her driving test.
Ms Watters also imposed a fine of £250 and an offender’s levy of £15.
The district judge told the defendant: “I am always very keen to know that people are dealing with their problems.”