An Armagh car salvage business owner will be hit financially after receiving a 12 month ban for drink driving.
The 32-year-old’s legal representative told court: “The loss of his licence will have a great impact on him as he will have to pay for someone else to drive the lorry as the business operates 24 hours a day and this will have a financial burden.”
Cormac James Hughes, of Milestone Court, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at the city’s Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Prosecution outlined that on July 12, at 9.50pm, police observed a Volkswagen Touareg on the Keady Road in Armagh make a very slow and wide turn onto the Newtownhamilton Road.
Officers stopped the car and conducted a preliminary breath test on the driver, the defendant, which resulted in a fail.
Whilst in custody, an evidential sample was taken which gave a reading of 58mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Defence counsel stated: “Mr Hughes instructs that he was working on the day in question and called into the pub where he had a few drinks.
“He runs a car salvage business which has become rather successful. He has had issues in the past but has largely put them behind him.”
He added: “The loss of his licence will have a great impact on him as he will have to pay for someone else to drive the lorry as the business operates 24 hours a day and this will have a financial burden on Mr Hughes.
“He is a man who lost his way when he was younger but has now put that behind him.”
Hughes was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £300, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
The defendant was certified for the drink driving course which would see his ban reduced to one of nine months if completed.
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