PSNI officers found cans of alcohol in the footwell of drink-driver's vehicle after Lurgan collision, court hears
A drink driver has been warned by a judge that ‘custody was a real and live possibility’ after he crashed his car in Lurgan.
He appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with a number of driving offences, including driving whist disqualified, driving with excess alcohol in urine, having no insurance, and taking a vehicle without permission.
He was also charged with obstructing police.
The court heard that on Friday, October 31, 2025 police were tasked to a road traffic collision on Avenue Road in Lurgan.
On arrival, officers noted a Skoda Octavia with significant damage obstructing the road. A white Mazda and black Audi were also noted to have sustained damage.
Witnesses told officers the defendant, Aivaras Vaitekunas (39), whose address was given as The Grange in Lurgan, had been driving the Skoda.
The court was told that the defendant was on the phone and refused to speak to police. He wouldn’t provide the officers with his name,
Officers observed a number of cans of alcohol in the footwell of the vehicle.
It was stated that the defendant’s partner arrived at the scene and told police she did not give permission for the defendant to drive her vehicle.
The defendant failed a roadside breath test with a reading of 89 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit being 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
He was subsequently arrested and whilst being transferred to custody was said to have stated “I am not a bad person but sometimes I do stupid things”.
In custody the defendant provided a urine sample, which gave a reading of 172 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine, the legal limit being 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.
The defendant made no comment during police interview.
A defence lawyer told the court the defendant, who is originally from Lithuania, had been living in Northern Ireland for 16 years and worked as a machine operator in a factory.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan told the defendant: “Custody is a very real and live possibility for you.”
Mr Ranaghan disqualified the defendant from driving for three-and-a-half years.
He also ordered him to complete a combination order, which includes 12 months on probation and 70 hours of community service.