Gilford man caught drink driving after watching a late night boxing match, Craigavon court hears
A Gilford man has been banned from the roads for a year after being stopped by the police and found to be over the legal drink driving limit.
Steven Green, 38, whose address was given as Woodlands, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with driving with excess alcohol in breath.
The court heard that on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 1.15am, police on patrol in the Church Street area of Portadown had their attention drawn to a red-coloured Audi A3.
The car was said to be stationary, slightly across the central line with no lights on.
The vehicle then turned onto a continuation of Church Street and came to a stop.
The police spoke with the driver, the defendant, and reported that when he exited the vehicle he was unsteady on his feet, with a vacant expression on his face.
A roadside breath test gave a reading of 66 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
The defendant was then transferred to Lurgan Custody Suite, where a second breath test gave a lower evidential reading of 63 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
Defence told the court: “He was drinking in his own house, fell asleep, and went to his brother’s house to watch a late night boxing match.
"He tried to get a taxi but made the foolish decision to drive himself.”
Deputy District Judge Gerard Trainor disqualified the defendant from driving for 12 months. He also imposed a fine of £200 and an offender’s levy of £15.