Defendant asked if she hated her 14-year-old daughter that she wanted to kill her

A 38-year-old woman who was seen getting into a car with a bottle of vodka in her handbag was banned from driving for 15 months last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

Kristina Balcuinaite, Murray Wood, Waringstown, was also fined £300 for failing to provide an evidential breath sample on November 18 last year.

She was also fined £100 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy for failing to provide a preliminary sample and fined £100 for obstructing a constable.

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The court heard that police were tasked to Lurgan after a report from a member of the public of a female driver driving erratically.

She was seen getting into her car with her 14-year-old daughter and there was a bottle of vodka in her handbag.

Police stopped the defendant and there was a smell of intoxicating liquor on her breath and she appeared confused. She admitted she had been drinking. An opened bottle of vodka was seized.

The defendant refused to provide a preliminary breath test and said: “Maybe I got drunk and I was driving. What was I doing?”

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She then did not give an evidential sample by deliberately blocking the mouthpiece with her tongue.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, asked if the defendant hated her 14-year-old daughter that she wanted to kill her.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said she had her own business but there were several incidents in the premises where she was the injured party with other people coming into the shop and causing disturbances and assaulting her.

He added that she was now receiving assistance for her alcohol addiction and she realised she had a serious problem.

“Her life has imploded over the last 18 months over various incidents,” said Mr Downey.

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