Man handed motoring ban after being breathalysed at almost five times over the limit while driving car with sparks shooting off
A man has been banned from the roads after being caught drink-driving.
His car had a flat tyre "with sparks coming from the wheel" when it was spotted in the Larne area.
Alan David McGarry, 56, of Upper Waterloo Road in the town, then pulled into a lay by and was unsteady on his feet and holding onto the car for balance, a court was told.
When police arrived after 8.50pm on October 18 this year the defendant was attempting to change the wheel.
He was unsteady and officers could smell alcohol.
He had a preliminary alcohol in breath reading of 170 - the legal limit is 35 - but failed to provide an evidential sample when taken to a police station.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to provide an evidential sample.
A defence barrister said that after "drinking most of the day alone" the defendant had "an issue with his tyre, he clipped a roundabout".
He had been driving for 36 years "without any blemish".
District judge Nigel Broderick said he was concerned about the high preliminary breath test result but preliminary readings were sometimes "not entirely accurate".
He said the sentence had to reflect the absence of an evidential reading, and banned the defendant from driving for 14 months along with a £300 fine.
The case was heard today at Ballymena Magistrates' Court.