A Banbridge woman has been handed a three year disqualification for her second drink driving offence in the last five years.
The 50-year-old’s legal representative told court that his client did have difficulties with alcohol over the years and on this occasion lapsed after receiving unwelcome news regarding potential employment.
Stephanie McLoughlin, of Church Street, had pleas of guilty entered on her behalf to using a vehicle without insurance, driving with excess alcohol and no licence at Newry Magistrates’ on Wednesday.
Prosecution told court that the defendant was stopped driving along the Monaghan Road, Newry, in a Ford Focus on July 3, this year.
Checks carried out by officers revealed that McLoughlin was a disqualified driver and she was not insured on the car.
A preliminary breath test was conducted, which the defendant failed, and an evidential sample obtained in custody gave a reading of 62mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Defence counsel informed the court that McLoughlin had a conviction of a “similar nature” from 2017 and that a three year disqualification was now inevitable.
He stated that his client did have difficulties with alcohol over the years and on this occasion had lapsed after receiving unwelcome news regarding potential employment.
District Judge Eamon King disqualified McLoughlin from driving for a period of three years and ordered that she pay a fine of £400, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
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