Drink driver said he was having a smoke in car

Paul Bingham (24) from Millar Park was banned for three months and fined £200 at the local court last Thursday.

The court heard how at 5am on 28 September police approached Bingham who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car in Iveagh Drive.

When officers spoke to him they believed he was under the influence of alcohol and could smell from his breath.

He said he had no keys with him but when he exited the vehicle, they were found sitting near the gear stick.

After being arrested and taken into custody, a breath test revealed Bingham had 65mg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. A solicitor said Bingham had been at his girlfriend’s house at the time and was outside in the car smoking as she did not allow him to smoke in the house.

He said Bingham accepted his actions put him in a very difficult position. He also has to pay a £15 offender’s levy.