A man who was caught over the limit after avoiding a police checkpoint has been handed a 12 month ban.
The 42-year-old’s legal representative told court that the Isle of Man native had been in the jurisdiction visiting family.
Joseph McGuinness, of Low Road in Newry, had pleas of guilty entered on his behalf to driving with excess alcohol at the city’s Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that shortly after midnight, on June 12, police were conducting a vehicle checkpoint on the Chancellors Road, Cloghoge.
Officers’ attention was drawn to a Mercedes car which appeared to avoid the checkpoint.
Police spoke to the driver, who was identified as the defendant, and a preliminary breath test was conducted resulting in a fail.
A subsequent evidential sample of breath obtained in custody gave a reading of 42mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Defence counsel stated that his client was a resident of the Isle of Man and had been in this jurisdiction visiting family.
“He had been visiting a family friend, he consumed alcohol but thought he was OK to drive but clearly he wasn’t,” he said.
Giving credit for the defendant’s early plea, District Judge Eamonn King disqualified him from driving for 12 months and ordered that a fine of £200, along with the offender’s levy of £15, be paid.
McGuinness was certified for the drink driving course which would see his ban reduced to one of nine months upon completion.
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