Ex policeman banned for drink driving: court

Alun Richard Owen (46) of Islandtasserty Road in Coleraine, appeared before District Judge Richard Wilson on two separate matters.

The first incident occured on December 5, 2007 at 1.30am when Owen was observed by police driving at the Atlantic Road in Coleraine. His car was crossing the centre lines on the road.

When police stopped the defendant, his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

A breath sample indicated that Owen had 68mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath - almost twice legal limit of 35mg.

In a second incident, on November 19 last year police were informed that a male was drink driving at Beresford Place in Coleraine.

On arrival police found Owen sitting in the driver’s seat of his car, outside St Joseph’s College, waiting on his daughter.

When he spotted police he drove off Officers pursued him and he finally stopped after mounting the kerb on entering Tesco car park a short distance away.

Court heard that Owen got out of the vehicle and used foul language and refusing to get into the police car.

Owen then struck out at one of the officers. A breath sample indicated that he was more than twice over the legal limit.

He was then charged with dangerous driving, resisting police, assault, obstructing police, driving with excess alcohol, having no insurance and driving licence

During interview the defendant denied the assault charges.

A barrister for Owen told the court that the 46-year-old had a difficult background. He said that his client had ‘ongoing difficulties’ and that during last year’s incident, he had been struggling with an alcohol problem.

The barrister claimed that Owen had been asked to pick up his daughter by his estranged wife.

He said that despite the fact Owen’s speech was slurred when his wife contacted him, she still asked him to pick up the child. The barrister claimed that it was Owen’s wife who had reported him to police.

“The fall out from this has been devasting for him,” said the barrister.

“He has already been off the road since November, he has lost his employment and he is estranged from his family. These are exceptional circumstances. This man has already lost so much.”

District Judge, Richard Wilson, acknowledged the circumstances of the incidents. He banned Owen from driving for a year and fined him 1,400.