Man sentenced for drink driving in Derry
A County Derry man who was being arrested for being drunk in charge of a van told police he had driven the vehicle, Derry Magistrate’s Court has heard.
Alan Clark (54) of Deerpark Road in Bellaghy was then charged with driving with excess alcohol after a breath test revealed a reading four times the legal limit.
He admitted the offence, which occurred at Rosses Gate in Derry on January 12 this year.
Derry Magistrate's Court heard that police were in attendance at Rosses Gate on an unrelated matter and were told of a suspected intoxicated male in a van.
Police approached the van with Clark in the driver's seat and could smell alcohol.
Initially, police were going to arrest Clark for being drunk in charge of a vehicle but when asked how the van got there he replied 'I drove it here', and was arrested for driving with excess alcohol.
A preliminary breath test revealed a reading of 193mgs but an evidential sample gave a reading of 141mgs, some four times the legal limit.
Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that Clark faced the excess alcohol charge due to his own admission he had driven the van.
He said the defendant had issues with alcohol but was taking steps to address them now.
The solicitor said that Clark had been driving for 35 years without incident.
District Judge Oonagh Mullan said it was a high reading but she would keep the disqualification period down due to his clean record.
Clark was disqualified for 18 months and fined £200.