A Lurgan woman has been disqualified from driving for 12 months after being spotted by a member of the public intoxicated in a local store.
Court heard the 31-year-old had been drinking earlier in the day whilst attending a nephew’s fourth birthday party.
Stephanie Kelly, of McCormack Gardens, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Court heard that on September 9, at around 6.45pm, police received a call from a member of the public about a suspected drunk driver on the Mourne Road, Lurgan.
She told officers she had been behind the defendant in the queue at the Spar, she smelt alcohol on Kelly and watched as she stumbled into a display in the store.
A description of the defendant and details on the vehicle led police to Kelly.
The defendant failed a preliminary test which showed a reading of 113mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
She was arrested and taken to Lurgan Custody Suite where she gave a reading of 92mg in 100ml of breath.
Defence counsel said the defendant had been at her nephew’s fourth birthday earlier that day.
District Judge Bernie Kelly replied: “Why is there alcohol at the birthday of a four-year-old in the middle of the day?”
It was explained by defence counsel that Kelly had been drinking with the child’s mother before returning home to her mother’s house where she consumed more alcohol.
He added that the defendant regretted her decision and apologised to the court.
Kelly was handed a 12-month driving ban and ordered to pay a fine of £250, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within eight weeks.
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