Drink driver crashed his vehicle on the M1 motorway at Moira, blocking both lanes, Lisburn court hears
A man who blocked both lanes of the M1 at Moira when he crashed his car has been banned from the roads for 15 months for drink driving.
Ryan Joseph Breen, 52, whose address was given as Skeboy Road in Omagh, represented himself when he appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court charged with driving with excess alcohol in breath.
The court heard that on Saturday February 7, 2026, police attended a single vehicle road traffic collision on the M1 at Moira.
A vehicle was said to have been blocking both lanes, with significant damage caused to the barrier.
The defendant, who had been driving, was unharmed and was standing on the hard shoulder.
A breath test gave a reading of 58 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
Speaking on his own behalf, the defendant told the court: “As far as I can remember, the steering wheel suddenly shot out of my hand.
"I had trouble with the left hand wheel earlier that day. I assume I had a blow out.
“I was completely uninjured,” he added.
It was noted that the defendant had no previous record but did have three penalty points on his driving licence from a fixed penalty notice.
District Judge Rosie Watters told the defendant: “I have to disqualify you from driving.”
Ms Watters disqualified the defendant from driving for 15 months, which will be reduced to 12 months on completion of a drink driving course. He will also have to resit his driving test.
Ms Watters imposed a fine of £250 and an offender’s levy of £15.