Speeding driver in Omagh was four times the drink-driving limit

AN OMAGH man has been banned from the road for two years after being found to be over four times the legal drink driving limit.

Patrick McNamee (37), of Drumannon View, was sentenced for the offence at Omagh Magistrates Court last week.

The court heard that, on March 23, just before midnight, police noticed a grey Vauxhall car driving down John Street ‘at speed’.

The driver, identified as McNamee, took a roadside breathalyser test, which he failed, and he was brought to custody.

McNamee was then subjected to an evidential test, where he blew a reading of 144 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, over four times the legal limit.

Defence counsel Brian O’Sullivan told the court the self-employed plumber pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and apologised to the court, admitting it was a ‘foolish decision’.

Mr O’Sullivan added that McNamee accepted the inevitable driving ban and has since made arrangements for a lift to work.

District judge Ted Magill said he ‘could not’ keep the driving ban to the minimum due to the high reading of McNamee’s reading.

The 37-year-old was banned from driving for two years and fined £500.