Drove out of Tesco store the wrong way

Mark McAllister, Doughery Road, Banbridge, admitted driving with excess alcohol in his breath on September 10 this year.

He was fined £300, ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy and banned for 12 months.

Banbridge Magistrates Court heard sitting in Newry last Thursday that at 2.30am a routine police patrol on the Castlewellan Road saw a car leave Tescos at the Outlet in an incorrect manner.

They stopped the car and spoke to the defendant who was driving and smelled intoxicating liquor on his breath.

An evidential breath test gave a reading of 71.

Mr Richard Monteith, representing the defendant, said that after drinking McAllister had walked two miles to his home and gone to sleep.

He explained that when he woke up his client decided to go for cigarettes and the only place open was Tescos about three miles away.

The solicitor added McAllister had no explanation why he had exited the store the wrong way.

He said the defendant appreciated he was going to be disqualified and asked the court to keep the ban to the minimum.

Mr Monteith said that he had handed in to the court references from McAllister’s employers, parents and friends.

District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, said this was a gross error of judgement on the part of the defendant and significantly out of character.

Imposing the ban he certified McAllister suitable for the drink driving course which if he completed would reduce his disqualification period to nine months.