Judge said drink driver who ended up in ditch was 'lucky' not to have killed someone
A judge said a motorist who was almost three times the drink drive limit when he crashed his car into a ditch at the side of a road in County Antrim was "lucky" not to have killed someone.
District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons was speaking at Ballymena Magistrates Court to Aleksandras Petrovas (42), of The Oaks in Randalstown, who admitted driving with excess alcohol in breath at Portglenone Road, Randalstown, on March 16 this year.
He had an alcohol in breath reading of 100 - the legal limit is 35 - after the 1am incident.
A defence solicitor said the car was "very badly damaged" and the defendant, who was alone in the vehicle, could not explain how he made the "appalling" decision to drive after being at a party. He had a clear record.
Judge Fitzsimons said it was a "significantly high reading" and told the defendant: "You are very lucky you didn't' kill someone."
The defendant was banned from driving for two years and was fined £750.
Bail was fixed for appeal but he is not to drive pending appeal.