A 79-YEAR-OLD man caught drink-driving for a second time within the last decade has received a three-year road ban.

Seamus Kerrigan, of Meadowvale, Garrison, was charged with driving with excess alcohol in his breath on November 26, 2016.

Kerrigan entered a guilty plea when he appeared before Fermanagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The court heard that, at 9.50pm, police stopped a Volkswagen Golf being driven by the defendant at Main Street in Garrison.

Upon asking for his driving documents, officers detected a strong smell of intoxicating liquor and also noted that Kerrigan was slurring his speech.

He was subsequently arrested and conveyed to Enniskillen custody suite.

An evidential breath test returned a reading of 58 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – a total of 23 micrograms over the legal limit.

Defending solicitor, Garry Smyth, told the court that his client was a widower who lived alone in Garrison, having previously spent time working in England.

The solicitor said that, while there, he was employed as a plant operator and had driven for a long time with no blemishes on his record.

Mr Smyth said the defendant’s family was based in England and he was facing “difficult times” with the inevitable loss of his driving licence.

The solicitor told the court that, on the night in question, Kerrigan had come down to the village to meet a friend after a funeral.

In mitigation, he said there had been “no issue” with the defendant’s driving.

Mr Smyth added that his client had cooperated with the police after he was stopped.

Taking into account the plea of guilty, the defendant’s personal circumstances and the way in which he dealt with the charge, the solicitor urged the judge to impose the minimum penalty.

District judge, Amanda Brady, observed that the defendant had received a previous conviction for drink-driving back in 2011.

The judge said that, as this was his second conviction within 10 years, she had to disqualify him from driving for a minimum period of three years.

She ordered Kerrigan to remain disqualified until retested.

He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay a £15 offender levy.