Over three times the drink limit

A MAGHERALIN man was three and a half times the legal drink drive limit when breath tested, Craigavon court heard last week.

He was 51-year-old Philip Alexander Scott, of Parklands, Magheralin, and he admitted driving with excess alcohol on October 31 last year.

A combination order was imposed made up of probation for 12 months and 100 hours community service. He was also banned from driving for five years.

The court heard a police mobile patrol received a report about a damage only collision on Central Way and both vehicles were in the car park at B&Q.

One of the drivers, the defendant, was under the influence of alcohol. He failed a preliminary breath test and was arrested. An evidential test gave a reading of 129 - the legal limit is 35.

The case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

District Judge, Mr Alan White, said this happened at 5pm in the afternoon and in the report the defendant said he had consumed alcohol the previous day.

If this was from the previous evening he was lucky to be alive, added Mr White.

Mr Pat Vernon, representing the defendant, said Scott fully accepted he has a long standing drink problem. He had taken a lot of vodka the night before.

Scott had two previous convictions for similar offences.

Pointing out that the defendant was three and a half times the limit Judge White said he was lucky it was a damage only accident and if he had hit someone he would have gone to the Crown Court and faced a prison sentence.

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