A Waringstown man who drank a carry out while waiting in a queue for his local Tesco’s was handed ten penalty points on Friday.
Craigavon Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Lisburn, heard that 53-year-old Adrian Napier had driven to Tesco on March 28 this year but on seeing the line to get inside, got himself a carry out from a nearby off licence which he drank while he waited.
Once inside, Napier filled a trolley with £418 of groceries and walked out without paying, “trying to flee” before being detained by security staff who called police.
Despite his claims that he had walked to the supermarket, officers found a car key in his pocket and his car in the car park.
A prosecuting lawyer told the court he gave a reading of 95 which is more than twice the legal limit.
Napier, an engineer from Murray Wood in Waringstown, pleaded guilty to theft and being drunk in charge of a vehicle.
Defence solicitor Kevin McCamley revealed that at the time, the lockdown had just happened, leaving Napier’s wife “completely stranded” in Australia.
“He doesn’t know why he did it,” said the solicitor, describing the offences as “extremely out of character”.
Imposing ten points for the driving offence because the PPS could not prove he has driven while drunk and a £150 fine for the theft, District Judge Amanda Brady ordered Napier to pay £50 to Tesco.
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