Judge tells Cushendun motorist that courts treat drink driving cases 'extremely seriously'
A judge told a motorist who had a preliminary alcohol in breath reading of 117 - more than three times the legal limit of 35 - that courts take such cases extremely seriously "because unfortunately people die on our roads because of drink drivers".
District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons was speaking at Ballymena Magistrates Court to Conleth McCurdy (29), of Knocknacarry Court, Cushendun.
He admitted a charge of failing to provide an evidential breath sample on the evening of July 14 this year.
Ballymena Magistrates Court was told a member of the public reported that a motorist - the defendant - had slammed on the brakes of a car and got out with a bottle of beer in his hand.
Police attended and arrested the defendant. According to the charge sheet the incident came to light in Larne.
A defence solicitor said that after giving the preliminary sample the defendant believed he didn't have to give a further sample. He said McCurdy wished to apologise to the court "and also to his family".
Judge Fitzsimons said: "I take a lot of these road traffic matters extremely seriously because unfortunately every year people die on our roads because of drink drivers."
She banned the defendant from driving for 15 months and fined him £450.