A man who crashed a lorry into a sign in Armagh after “one drink at lunchtime” has been fined and disqualified from driving.
Stephen Goodwin (46), of Lyndhurst Gardens, Belfast, appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry Courthouse, charged with a number of driving offences.
These were: failing to provide a specimen for a preliminary breach test, failing to stop, report and remain at a damage-only accident, and failing to provide an evidential sample of breath.
The prosecution told the court that on Monday, August 19, 2024, at approximately 5.55pm, police received a report of a single-vehicle collision in the area of Keady Road in Armagh.
The reporting person alleged the vehicle responsible was a black scaffolding lorry, which collided with a road sign and failed to stop.
At around 6pm, police observed the lorry on Victoria Street in Armagh. They stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver, who was the defendant.
On speaking to Goodwin, police detected a smell of alcohol coming from the cab of the heavy-goods vehicle.
Police also noticed that he had glazed eyes and, when asked to step out, was unsteady on his feet.
Goodwin was asked to take a preliminary breath test. He refused and was arrested.
Whilst in custody, he failed to provide an evidential sample of breath.
A defence lawyer told the court that his client, who appeared in the courtroom, was pleading guilty to the charges.
He said that Goodwin, who has “never been in trouble before,” was a “hard-working man and valued by his employer”.
He explained that Goodwin asserted he “had one drink at lunchtime and was absolutely adamant he was fine to drive the vehicle”.
The defence added that Goodwin had “medical difficulties” which he felt caused issues with offering a sample at the scene.
Owing to the defendant’s reliance on his licence as an HGV driver, the lawyer asked the judge impose a low disqualification.
On imposing sentence, District Judge Anne Marshall said: “It’s difficult without a reading… He could have been four times the limit, he could have been under the limit… Also he was driving a heavy-goods vehicle.”
Goodwin was handed a fine of £425 and a £15 offenders’ levy.
He was also disqualified from driving for 13 months.
