Man 'downed three vodkas in 10 minutes after shopping'

The caller told police Stephen Dale (50) of Wheatfield Park, Ballybogy appeared to be drunk having left the pub before getting into a car and driving off, North Antrim Magistrates Court was told on Friday.

He appeared in court to plead guilty to a charge of failing to provide a specimen breath for a preliminary test following the incident on October 31 2008. A charge of driving with excess alcohol in breath was dropped.

Police traced the car’s registration and called at the home of Dale.

They smelt drink off him and he was slurring his words, the court heard.

He told police his car hadn’t left his driveway all day and that he had done nothing wrong. He initially refused to participate in a breath test but later provided an evidential sample at Coleraine Police Station and was found to be over the limit.

A prosecutor told the court Dale told police he had been shopping that day and when he returned home he had drank three glasses of vodka in 10 minutes.

A GP provided information to the court saying medication Dale had been taking at the time of the offence could have made him unsteady on his feet.

A defence solicitor said Dale accepted that he should of provided a sample initially and that he had been “foolish” by not doing so.

He said Dale was a man held in high regard locally due to his work within the community.

Dale was fined 150 and given four penalty points.