Audi driver had cocaine in his system after he was spotted driving 'erratically' in Lurgan, Craigavon court hears
A 44-year-old man, who was spotted driving erratically by police, had cocaine in his system, a court has heard.
Robin McKee, aged 44, of Banbridge Road, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with driving while unfit through drink / drugs.
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The court heard that on August 2, 2025 at around 7pm, police spotted a silver Audi being driven ‘erratically’ on the Gilford Road, Lurgan.
The vehicle was noted to cross the white line several times as well as ‘suddenly speeding up and slowing down’.
When police stopped the driver they detected a ‘strong smell of cannabis’.
After his arrest, a blood test was taken and toxicology showed the defendant had 0.24micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood in his system and 5.1microgrammes of benzoylecgonine ( BZE is a by-product of cocaine in the blood).
BZE has a longer half-life (5.5 to 12 hours) than cocaine (around 1.5 hours) and remains in the system for a longer duration, making it a reliable biomarker for recent or past cocaine use in drug testing.
The court heard that during interview, McKee admitted using cocaine earlier that day.
McKee’s solicitor, Mr Pat Vernon, said his client is a single man who is unemployed who admitted his offending to police during interview.
"He instructs he has been a drug addict for around 10 years,” said Mr Vernon.
District Judge Peter Prenter said: “He shouldn’t be near a car really.”
“He had taken some drugs the previous night and didn’t go to bed until 6am and slept most of the day. He got up and went out,” said the solicitor pointing out his client was stopped at 7pm.
Mr Vernon said McKee has no previous for drink driving. The district judge responded: “Or he hasn’t been caught.”
The solicitor said the defendant thought he was OK to drive. “On this occasion he miscalculated and drove the car. This has been a wake-up call to him.
"He self-referred himself to the Community Addictions Team and he now goes to St Luke’s in Armagh for counselling every three weeks and they do urine tests on him to make sure he is keeping up with what they are asking him to do.”
McKee was banned from driving for 12 months until he passes his test plus fined £250 and the £15 offender levy.