A south Armagh man who was detected over the limit during a visit home from Australia has been landed with a two year ban.
Court heard the 29-year-old had lived in Australia for over seven years and was employed as a barman.
Bradley Casey, 29, of Ashton Heights, Cloughoge pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol in breath at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Prosecution outlined that on December 21, at 1.30am, police conducting a vehicle checkpoint on the Camlough Road in Newry stopped the defendant driving a Mini Cooper.
There were three other occupants in the vehicle and officers detected a smell of alcohol.
Upon speaking to Casey, he told police that he had consumed one pint after work.
A preliminary breath test was carried out resulting in a fail and he was arrested and conveyed to Banbridge Custody Suite.
Whilst there, an evidential sample of breath was taken giving a reading of 57mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Defence counsel stated: “He had just come home a few days before Christmas. He is employed as a barman in Australia.
“Whilst back he was asked by a previous employer to help out and he did so. This was an immediate guilty plea and he has lived in Australia for over seven years.”
District Judge Eamonn King commented: “This is the third drink driving case over that certain period I have had this morning.”
Bradley was disqualified from driving for two years and was ordered to pay a fine of £400, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
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