A chef at a gastropub who had drinks after film star Hugh Jackman visited the premises has been handed a later failed to provide an evidential breath sample in custody after police spotted the defendant urinating beside a car parked on the hard shoulder of the M1 near Lurgan.
Noel Sharkey (36), of Rathview Hall in Craigavon, had provided a preliminary breath sample to police which had a reading of 60 – the legal limit is 35.
However, he failed to provide a required second, evidential, sample at a police station.
The offence was committed on February 22 this year.
The defendant was at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday
A defence lawyer accepted the “facts do not make for great reading”.
She said the defendant wishes to apologise for his behaviour.
She told the court the defendant, originally from Donegal, works as a chef in Holywood, County Down.
She said: “On the day in question Hugh Jackman had actually come into the restaurant and bought staff drinks. Mr Sharkey seems to have got carried away. He had one or two too many. He made an extremely foolish decision to go on to drive home”.
Hugh Jackman has starred in films including The Wolverine and has been in Northern Ireland filming ‘The Death of Robin Hood’.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “It is certainly the first time I have ever heard Wolverine blamed for offending behaviour”.
The defendant, who had a related conviction from 2022, has now been banned from driving for three years and was fined £200.
