Larne motorist given eight-month jail term and four-year driving ban
A motorist with a Larne address has received an eight months jail term and a four year driving ban.
Patrick Joseph Walsh (41), of Seacourt Road, had offences detected in the Antrim town area on August 9 this year.
He admitted failing to provide specimens; driving whilst banned; and being uninsured in a van.
Police saw the van with hazard lights on and driving in the middle of the Oldstone Road.
The defendant was aggressive and obstructive to police. He refused to give a breath sample nor an evidential sample.
A bag of empty cocktail cans was in the van. The defendant told police he couldn't remember if he had been drinking and denied the cans were his.
He had previously been banned from driving on June 6 this year.
The defendant appeared via video link from prison at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena on Tuesday, December 23.
A defence barrister said the defendant's "whole life" had "collapsed" in recent years. He said the defendant had been a plumber.
The barrister said his client had previously done work for "refugee camps". He said the defendant had been "living" in the van.
The lawyer said the defendant, who had spent a number of months on remand, was remorseful.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant had a "terrible record". He said the charges at court on Tuesday were the fifth related to excess alcohol or being involved in a vehicle in connection with alcohol.
He jailed the defendant for eight months and banned him from driving for four years. Bail was fixed for appeal against sentence in the sum of £500 but the judge refused to release him from jail.
Judge Broderick said: "My concern would be that if he was released especially at this time of year there would be a high risk he would get behind the wheel of a car intoxicated and he would cause an accident that would cause serious injury, if not a fatality."