An Armagh man, who was caught driving almost four times the legal limit, has been banned from the roads for two years.
Gary Michael McCool, of Woodford Drive, appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court – sitting in Newry – on Tuesday.
The 52-year-old was caught after exiting a garage on the Newry Road in Armagh at approximately 7.50pm on September 10. He got into his car and drove off.
Police stopped him and carried out a roadside breath test which returned a reading of 133.
Defence solicitor Jarlath Fields highlighted his client’s alcohol issues following the death of his long-term partner almost 10 years ago.
However, he said McCool and “righted himself” around 2018 but a “traumatic experience” resulted in his latest court appearance.
Mr Fields said McCool is a very, very busy painter and decorator in the Armagh area and that “he hopes to resume, at some point in the near future, his private business” and therefore asked for the suspension to be kept to a minimum.
District Judge, Laura Marshall, retorted: “I can’t keep it to the minimum, and I was considering whether or not the automatic three year ban was triggered, but I don’t think it is.
“But in the circumstances, with that reading, and a previous in charge with excess alcohol, and a previous in charge with excess alcohol in blood, I cannot keep it anywhere near the minimum.”
She added: “I was considering a three year ban, but haven’t heard your plea Mr Fields, what I’m going to do is fine him £300 along with a £15 offenders’ levy.
“The absolute minimum ban I can keep it to, giving the reading and the two previous, is two years, and it was going to be three before Mr. Fields started.”
McCool was given 10 weeks to pay the fine.
