Passer-by took keys of a Co Armagh engineer (20) when he stalled a van after coming out of a Chinese takeaway in Portadown, Craigavon court hears
A passer-by, who saw a 20-year-old engineer stall his van after coming out of a Chinese takeaway, took the keys from him before the police were called, a court hears.
Paul Murphy, from Ballymore Road, Tandragee, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday to face a charge of driving with excess alcohol.
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Police attended China Treasure House on Mahon Road, Portadown, on December 10 last year around 9.20pm following a report of a possible drink driver.
On arrival they spoke with the defendant who appeared “unsteady on his feet” and smelled of intoxicating liquor. A witness said the defendant had left the Chinese takeaway and got into a red Ford Transit van and “had manoeuvred the vehicle back and forward a few times before stalling”.
The witness then intervened and removed the keys from the vehicle.
The defendant took part in an evidential breath test showing a reading of 70 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal alcohol breath test limit for drivers in NI is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
"The defendant made a number of significant comments both before and after caution. After caution he said numerous times he only had three beers and a Jägermeister,” said a Prosecutor.
Murphy’s solicitor Mr John McAtamney said his client had some “very upsetting news of an extremely sensitive personal nature”. He explained Murphy has taken alcohol as a friend’s house and driven to a local Chinese takeaway and consumed some more alcohol there whilst waiting on the takeaway.
"He had also ordered a taxi to take him home,” said Mr McAtamney, adding his client is an engineer with Clearway and shared a reference from his employer who still intend to keep him on.
"He tells me he has been abstinent from alcohol since this incident. He won’t be back before the courts again. This has been a salutary lesson for him," said Mr McAtamney.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan told the defendant his sentence would have been higher if it were not for his solicitor and the reference from his employer. He banned Murphy from driving for 12 months and fined him £200 plus the Offender Levy of £15.