Drink-fuelled crash on motorway off-slip 'was perhaps a blessing in disguise' says judge
A drink driver went the wrong way along a motorway off-slip and crashed into an oncoming vehicle, a court has heard.
Deidre Richmond, 51, of Ballylurgan Road near Randalstown, admitted charges of dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in blood.
Ballymena Magistrates' Court was told that at 9pm on April 18 this year a vehicle was travelling on an off-slip at the M2 motorway at Ballymena when headlights approached in the opposite direction. It was the defendant's vehicle and there was a collision.
The other person's vehicle sustained "significant damage" and spun around to face the wrong way on a grass verge.
The defendant's vehicle also came to a halt.
The defendant had an alcohol in blood reading of 122 – the legal limit for blood is 80.
A defence lawyer said it had been "raining heavily".
He said the defendant was "remorseful" and was "thankful that any injuries sustained by the person in the other vehicle doesn't appear to be serious".
District Judge Nigel Broderick told the hearing last Thursday that it could have been a "major" incident.
He told the defendant: "In many respects the fact that you had the accident on the slip road was maybe a blessing in disguise.
"If you had continued your journey you'd have ended up driving on the motorway the wrong direction, drunk.
"I can't imagine a more dangerous situation. Thankfully that didn't happen."
The defendant had a clear record.
"To address the underlying issues that gave rise to this offence" the judge put her on probation for a year.
She was also banned from driving for 18 months.