Man spotted driving left hand drive car in Lurgan had been reported to PSNI as potential drink driver, Craigavon court hears
A man spotted driving in Lurgan town centre by police was believed to be intoxicated, a court has heard.
Asen Stefanov, aged 42, of Albert Street, Lurgan, pleaded guilty at Craigavon Magistrates Court to failing to provide a specimen in relation to a driving with excess charge.
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The court heard that police received a report on November 16, 2025, from a member of the public who was concerned that the driver of a blue Volkswagen Sharan, which had just left the Albert Street area, was driving while intoxicated.
At around 10.50am police observed the male with dark hair driving this vehicle at Church Place in Lurgan. A prosecutor added that the vehicle was a left hand drive.
Another report came in from a member of the public that the defendant had returned to his Albert Street address and was ‘observed being unsteady on his feet’.
Police arrived at 11.20am and on entering the home address, a man matching the description of the male they had seen previously was seen walking down the stairs, with the vehicle parked outside and the keys in the defendant’s living room.
Through a friend interpreting, he told police he had been drinking the night before and stopped at 2am.
At 11.33am the defendant provided a preliminary breath sample ‘blowing 44’ micrograms of alcohol to 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal alcohol limit for driving is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
After his arrest the defendant was brought to Lurgan Police Station to get an evidential sample but he failed to provide this.
Defence barrister, Mr Conor Lunny, said his client had raised an issue regarding his asthma. On legal advice that even with asthma he could have provided the sample, he admitted a guilty plea.
He explained the defendant is a Bulgarian native who has been in this jurisdiction for two-and-a-half years and works in a local factory.
He is married with three children and will have to make contingency plans to get to work, Mr Lunny said.
Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare said: “Because we don’t know how inebriated you were because you failed to give a specimen of breath, the option for the minimum disqualification is not available.”
Stefanov was banned from driving for 16 months and fined £25 plus £15 offender levy.