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AN Aughnacloy woman who narrowly avoided hitting schoolchildren while drink-driving has been banned from the roads.
Appearing before Dungannon Magistrates Court was Dianna McDowell, of Carnteel Road. The court heard that on December 22 at approximately 3.13pm, police received a report of a suspected drink driver on the Brackaville Road in Coalisland.
The court heard the McDowell had struck a kerb before avoiding a collision with the schoolchildren and driving around a roundabout in the wrong direction.
Following this, she was seen striking a bollard with her vehicle outside a shop in Coalisland.
Police later stopped the vehicle on the Dungannon Road and McDowell failed to provide a specimen of breath.
She was conveyed to Dungannon custody suite where she further failed to provide another specimen of breath.
A defence solicitor described McDowell’s driving as ‘far from ideal’ but highlighted that following the incident, she had sought an opinion from a neurologist who confirmed she had suffered a brain injury following a fall in the months before the incident, rendering her unable to drive until medically fit.
It was also heard that the injury has impacted her ability to work, noting that she does a lot of charity work and offers counselling from home.
The defence counsel said that McDowell was aware that she was facing a driving disqualification and that she ‘wanted closure’ in regards to the charges.
District Judge Rafferty described McDowell’s actions as ‘dangerous’ and disqualified her from driving for 14 months.
She was also handed a total of £400 in fines.
