A Tandragee woman with a history of drink driving convictions has been told she has a “callous disregard for human life” and warned she will go to jail if caught again.
District Judge Bernie Kelly said Janet Bryans had “the poorest record” she had ever seen and took away her licence for five years.
The 46-year-old, of Sinton Park, admitted driving whilst unfit through drink, driving without due care or attention and failing to provide a breath specimen.
Craigavon Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday how on March 25, at around 8.30pm, police were called to reports of a suspected drink driver.
The caller claimed the defendant narrowly avoided another car after causing it to swerve into the oncoming lane when exiting the SuperValu car park at Portadown Road, Tandragee.
Police later located the vehicle with Bryans identifying herself as the driver.
She was taken to Banbridge Custody Suite where she failed to give a breath specimen.
During interview, the defendant admitted she had “a couple of glasses of Lambrusco” but said she had no recollection of narrowly missing another vehicle.
Court heard Bryans was due in court for a similar offence from December of last year.
Defence solicitor Conor Downey stated: “The longer this lady is off the road to better for the community”.
He added she has a “longstanding problem with alcohol and substance abuse, especially non-prescribed medication”.
District Judge Bernie Kelly commented: “I have been doing this job a long time and I have never, ever seen someone appear so often for this type of offence.”
It was heard Bryans currently had four entries in her record all of which were for drink driving.
Judge Kelly added: “This is a selfish act as it shows you do not care about the lives of others.
“You have left me with no option; this is the poorest record I have seen for this type of offence”.
Byrans was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for three years, with the judge commenting this was credit that the last entry was October 2013.
The defendant was also banned from driving for five years and ordered to pay a fine of £200, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 10 weeks.
Judge Kelly told Bryans she had shown a “callous disregard for human life”, warning her “if I ever see you up for anything like this again you will be going to jail”.
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