Was twice over the drink driving limit

Endes Badinca (43), whose address was given as Coronation Street, Portadown, was banned from driving for 16 months at last Friday’s sitting of Craigavon Magistrates Court.

He was also fined £150 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy for driving with excess alcohol in breath on June 27 this year.

If he completes a course for drink driving his ban will be reduced to 12 months.

The court heard that at 1.15am a police mobile patrol saw a car travelling at speed and it was stopped in Carleton Street.

The defendant failed a preliminary test and an evidential test gave a reading of 88 - the legal limit is 35.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said his client had been at a friend’s house and had taken several drinks.

He explained that it was only about 500 to 600 yards to the defendant’s own address.

Imposing the 16 month ban District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said that the reading was over twice the limit and the quality of the defendant’s driving had drawn police attention to him.