A Ukrainian man who was caught driving at three times the legal limit was kicked out of a house by Russians after a row over the ongoing war, a court has heard.
Andriy Morgunov, 50, of Legar Hill Park, Armagh, appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry Courthouse on Tuesday, charged with driving with excess alcohol in breath.
The prosecution told the court that on September 8, 2024, police received two reports of a vehicle driving erratically on the Gosford Road outside Armagh.
The vehicle was serving from side to side and braking harshly.
Police stopped the vehicle on the Mall West in Armagh and spoke to Morgunov, who was the driver.
There was a strong smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle and an empty bottle of whiskey in the passenger footwell.
A preliminary breath test was carried out, which resulted in a fail.
Evidential samples were later taken at the police station and a lower reading produced a result of 106 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal limit in Northern Ireland is 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
A defence lawyer, speaking on Morgunov’s behalf, told the court that his client is a Ukrainian national, who has lived in Northern Ireland for over 20 years.
He had been at a social gathering with a number of Russian nationals. Alcohol was consumed and the subject of politics arose, specifically on the Ukraine War.
The defence continued that Morgunov “feels quite strongly” about the issue, and was expelled from the house when he expressed his views on the subject.
He then got into his car and drove home.
The defence added: “He holds his hands up to that. Clearly a very, very foolish decision”.
District Judge Anne Marshall noted that he had driven home to look after his pet cat.
On reading Morgunov’s record, Judge Marshall noted that it said: “He made a wrong decision ultimately driven by his affection for his pet cat”.
Judge Marshall also stated that Morgunov had a “poor driving record” and the case had a “very high reading,” given that he was three times the legal limit.
Morgunov was handed a sentence of one month in custody, suspended for one year, and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
