Co Armagh motorist almost four times over the alcohol limit drove through red light in Dungannon, court told
A drink driver nearly four times over the limit who drove through a red light and hit the kerb, has lost his licence for 18 months.
Thirty-one-year-old Haffiz Omar Farooq, from Fairgreen Avenue, Keady, Co Armagh, was also fined £250 with a £15 offender's levy for driving while having consumed excess alcohol and dangerous driving on roads between Moy Road, Milltown Road and William Street on January 23 last year.
Prosecuting counsel said at approximately 5.22pm police received a report of a suspected drink driver at Moy Road in Dungannon.
The lawyer said the reporting person said the defendant went through a red light and hit the kerb. Police later spoke to the Farooq, who was standing next to a stationary vehicle, and appeared to be intoxicated.
He said Farooq failed a preliminary breath test and later provided an evidential specimen, showing an alcohol reading of 134 mcgs in breath.
Counsel said the defendant denied the allegations made by the reporting person including that he had driven through the village of Moy with no lights, and claimed he had suffered a black out and had started drinking after stopping the vehicle.
A defence lawyer said the defendant had gone to Dungannon to get parts for his brother's mobile phone shop in Portadown.
He said that he had stopped in Moy and began drinking and had been drinking gin at the scene and was "in no fit state to be driving".
District Judge Peter Magill told the defendant that he had been “very wise” not to contest the case as he would have been found guilty.