Motorist stopped driver who was three times limit

District Judge Eamon King, sitting in Limavady, commended the unnamed person in the case of 63-year-old Michael Crossan, of Ashfield Road, Greysteel who was arrested for the offence on February 24 this year.

The court heard Crossan’s Renault Clio was pulled over and stopped by another driver who had observed the car swaying across the road, mounting the kerb and grass verge. The member of the public stopped Crossan in a layby on the Clooney Road, spoke to him and retrieved the vehicle’s keys until officers arrived on the scene a short time later.

When spoken to, police noted a strong smell of intoxicating liquor from the 63-year-old’s breath. He was arrested and taken to Limavady Police Station where the alcohol reading on his breath was taken as 128mcg, three times over the legal drink-drive limit. Crossan’s solicitor Mr McGurk told the court that his client had held a clean licence for 13 years prior to the incident. He added that on the night in question Crossan had “foolishly” decided to drive after consuming alcohol.

“He accepts that it was a good thing that this person done by stopping him and taking his car keys,” Mr McGurk added.

Mr King told the defendant that he was “fortunate” that he was stopped driving in such an intoxicated state.

“I commend the actions of that member of the public. What they done on this occasion could have prevented something far worse. I am impressed by the actions of that member of the public.”

Mr King added that given that taking into consideration that this was out of character for Crossan, whose solicitor said an underlying reason was to blame for the 63-year-old actions that night, he would fine him a total of 350 for drink driving and vehicle test certificate. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Mr King concluded: “The bottom of a vodka bottle is not where you will find the answer.”