'˜Industrious young man' caught drink driving because he had fog lights on

A motorist spotted by police driving through a Magherafelt car park with his fog lights on, has lost his licence for 12 months at the local Magistrates Court.
Magherafelt courthouseMagherafelt courthouse
Magherafelt courthouse

Martin Lynn, 23, a plasterer from O’Neill Park, Ballyronan, was also fined a total of £365 for driving while having consumed excess alcohol, no insurance or driving licence.

Imposing the penalties, District Judge Des Perry certified Lynn suitable to take part in the drink driving rehabilitation course, which could entitle him to a reduction in his period of disqualification.

A prosecuting lawyer told the court that at 3am on June 12 police on mobile patrol spotted the defendant’s vehicle being driven at Rainey Street car park.

She said the vehicle had its fog lights on when conditions did not require them to be on.

Counsel said police stopped the vehicle and on speaking to Lynn detected a smell of intoxicating liquor.

She explained that the defendant provided a preliminary breath test which he failed and did not have insurance for the vehicle.

Lynn was conveyed to Dungannon custody suite where he provided a breath test which revealed an alcohol count of 64mgs, she said, adding that the defendant declared to police that he did not have a licence.

Admitting the offence Stephen Atherton, solicitor, explained that the defendant had just purchased the car and had got some work done on it.

Mr Atherton said the defendant had been out socialising earlier in the evening and had gone home, but succumbed to temptation to come back into Magherafelt.

He described Lynn as an industrious young man who had since sold the car.

At the same court, Miroslav Nemeth, 40, of The Spires, Cookstown, was fined £265 and banned from driving for three years for driving while having consumed excess alcohol.

The prosecutor said at 1.20am on June 10, police on mobile patrol at Moneyhaw Road, Moneymore, observed a car drifting from side-to-side on the road and travelling at approximately 30mph.

As a result the car was stopped, she continued, and on speaking to the defendant she said police noticed a smell of intoxicating liquor from within the vehicle. The defendant later provided a breath specimen which showed an alcoholic reading of 60mgs.

A defence barrister said Nemeth was a Slovak national who has been working here with a local firm for a number of years.