A 28-YEAR-OLD man was almost three times over the legal drink-driving limit when he crashed his car into the gable wall of a Kesh bungalow, Fermanagh Magistrates Court has heard.

Andrew Gardiner, of Erne Park, Kesh, has since written a letter of apology to the occupant of the property, who was in her bedroom when the collision occurred.

Gardiner, a father-of-two, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol in his breath at Crevenish Park, Kesh and dangerous driving on June 21 this year.

The court heard that, at 11pm, police were tasked to the scene of a road traffic collision in Kesh. Upon arrival, they observed a red Volkswagen Polo had crashed into the gable wall of a bungalow, causing extensive damage.

There was no driver in the car, but the defendant was nearby. He was unsteady on his feet, slurring his speech and smelt of intoxicating liquor, the court heard.

After he was arrested for dangerous driving and driving while unfit, he was conveyed to Enniskillen custody suite.

An evidential breath test returned a reading of 101 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – a total of 66 micrograms in excess of the legal limit.

During interview on the following morning, Gardiner claimed that the collision had occurred after he reached for a mobile phone that had fallen into the footwell of the car.

He was remorseful and said he wanted to apologise to the lady who had been in the house.

The defendant said several times that he was throwing his hands up to the matter, the court heard.

A photograph of the collision scene was produced by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), and shown to district judge Nigel Broderick.

Defence counsel Ciaran Roddy then told the court that his client should not have been behind the wheel, adding that the reading in the case was “astronomical”.

Outlining the background to the incident, the barrister said that Gardiner had been the victim of a serious assault in the weeks leading up to the crash.

Mr Roddy said that, on the night in question, the defendant had taken a lot of drink at his father’s house and had been “afraid” to walk home on his own.

The barrister said that the solution was not to get behind the wheel of his vehicle.

“Unfortunately, that was the decision he took,” Mr Roddy said.

Admitting that there had been “significant damage” caused to the house, the barrister said the occupier had been in her bedroom and was “startled” by the extent of the bang.

He added that Gardiner had subsequently written a letter of apology to the woman.

In passing sentence, district judge Nigel Broderick observed that the consequences could have been “much more serious”.

The judge said that Gardiner had been three times over the limit and he had “no doubt” this was the main reason for the collision.

Taking into account the defendant’s remorse and lack of a relevant record, Mr Broderick imposed fines totalling £300, a £15 offender levy and a two-year driving disqualification.

Gardiner will have to sit the extended driving test before being allowed back on the road.