Omagh man who crashed into tractor was three times over limit

AN OMAGH man was found three-and-a-half times over the legal drink driving limit, following a collision with a tractor.

Shane Whitman (44), of Kevlin Gardens, was sentenced at Omagh Magistrates Court for the offence.

On October 10 at 11am police attended a collision between a tractor and an Audi on the Kevlin Road.

The tractor driver said he seen the Audi veer over the road before colliding with his wheel.

When paramedics attended the scene they told police that they could smell alcohol coming from the driver, identified as Whitman.

Later in hospital a sample of Whitman’s blood was analysed, which showed a reading of 276 milligrams of alcohol in 100ml of blood, nearly three-and-a-half times the legal limit.

Defence solicitor Michael Fahy said it was ‘unfortunate’ that 44-year-old with no previous criminal record or penalty points appeared before the court for this offence.

He explained that Whitman had suffered a breakdown of a long relationship and had turned to alcohol for solace.

Mr Fahy noted that no other injures were caused during the collision, only damage to the tractor’s wheel which the owner said would not claim for.

He added that the defendant, who works as a senior engineer, hopes to get back on the road ‘as soon as possible’ and doesn’t know how a driving ban would effect his employment.

However district judge Ted Magill noted that it was a ‘very high reading’ and couldn’t keep the disqualification to the minimum.

Whitman was banned from driving for 18 months and fined £500.