‘Foolishly’ decide to drive after ‘attack’

Rima Grigutiene, whose address was given as Millview Manor, Dungannon, admitted driving with excess alcohol in her blood when she appeared last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

She was fined £200, ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy and banned from driving for 12 months.

The court heard that on May 26 this year at 11.20pm police received a report of a vehicle being driven erratically on the M1 between Belfast and Lisburn.

It was intercepted between Moira and Lurgan and was seen to be weaving in and out of lane two and the hard shoulder.

The defendant, who was driving, was signalled to stop and when an officer opened the door of the car he could smell intoxicating liquor.

She was arrested and at Lurgan custody suite she was unable to produce a breath sample so a blood sample was taken given a reading of 178 – the limit is 80.

A solicitor representing Grigutiene said she had been at a concert in Belfast and had arranged to stay at a house in Belfast.

She explained that her client had been attacked by a female in the house and she felt she had no other option and decided to ‘go up the road’.

The solicitor said it was a foolish act on her part as her licence was critical to her and she knew she was going to be disqualified.

Imposing the disqualification District Judge Brian Archer certified her suitable for the drink driving course which on completion would reduce her ban by three months.