Drink driver was four times the limit

Kestutis Povilaitis, Enniskeen, Craigavon, was also fined £400 for driving with excess alcohol on April 17 this year. If he completes a drink driving course the ban will be reduced by six months.

The court heard that at approximately 12.15am police saw a car travelling along Bridge Street, Portadown, towards the town centre. It stopped about five metres from a green light and police noticed that one of its brake lights was not working.

Police spoke to the defendant. An evidential breath test gave a reading of 145 – the legal limit is 35.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said the reading was exceptionally high and the court deemed it so serious that a pre-sentence report was obtained. He explained that Povilaitis had been drinking the previous evening and there was a serious lack of judgement on his part.

Deputy District Judge Rea said it was a ‘breathtaking reading’ and that the defendant must have been barely conscious with that amount of alcohol in his system.