Motorist was coming from ‘birthday do’

Pawel Tomasz Rakszawski (30), of Castle Mews, Cookstown, was also fined £250 with a £15 offender levy for driving while having consumed excess alcohol.

Rakszawski was certified suitable to take part in the driving rehabilitation course which if completed successfully, could entitle him to a 25 per cent reduction in his period of disqualification.

The court heard police spoke to the defendant at the side of the Moneysharvin Road, Maghera, on May 27, following an incident and noted that he was walking unsteady and that his speech was slurred.

She said he failed a preliminary breath test and was taken to police custody suite where he provided an evidential specimen of 79mgs.

A defence lawyer stressed Rakszawski had no previous convictions and was a married man with three children and worked at a meat plant in Omagh. He said losing his licence would have a significant impact on him as he was the sole breadwinner and would incur cost getting to his work from Cookstown.

The lawyer explained that he had been a “birthday do” at his brother’s house in Portrush and had stayed there drinking into the early hours of the morning.

He said the defendant left the following evening at approximately 7.30pm believing that he was fit to drive. “I would ask the court to give him credit for his previous clear record and the impact this will have on him,” he added.