Judge says over-the-limit driver on motorway could have killed somebody
A judge said a motorist who had four pints before driving on a motorway could have killed somebody.
District Judge Nigel Broderick was speaking to Stephen Sloan (26), of Oriel Close in Antrim town, who admitted driving with excess alcohol in breath on April 26 this year.
He had an alcohol in breath reading of 57 - the legal limit is 35.
At 1.25am police received a report of a suspected drink driver who had just left a pub in Antrim town centre. A description of the car was given and the PSNI located it on the M22 motorway and stopped it at Old Moneynick Road.
The defendant, who had a clear record, told Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, it had been an "out of character" incident.
Judge Broderick said: "Why does anyone with four pints of Guinness get into a car and drive on a motorway? You could have killed somebody. This was a very stupid and dangerous thing to do and drive on a road especially a motorway.
"Thankfully nothing untoward happened as the police promptly stopped you and arrested you but this could easily have been a much more serious case."
The defendant was banned from driving for a year and fined £300. He will have to re-sit a driving test to get back on the road.