A 59-YEAR-OLD woman who was unable to give police a breath sample after crashing her car on to the pavement at Belmore Street in Enniskillen has been banned from driving for 18 months.

Ellen Stewart, of Devenish Crescent, Silverhill, Enniskillen, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of her breath after she was suspected of driving with excess alcohol on March 25, 2018.

Fermanagh Magistrates Court heard that, at 11.30am, police were tasked to a road traffic collision in Belmore Street.

Upon speaking to the defendant, officers detected a smell of alcohol. She told the police that she had taken a drink the night before.

After efforts to take a preliminary breath test proved unsuccessful, Stewart was conveyed to Omagh custody suite where her detention was authorised.

She was unable to provide an evidential breath sample, despite several attempts to do so.

Defending solicitor, Gary Black, told the court that, on the morning in question, his client had been “distracted by something in her pocket”.

Elaborating further, the solicitor said that Stewart had collected fresh eggs that morning and had put them in her pocket.

Realising that these eggs had cracked, the defendant then hit the kerb and ended up on the footpath of Belmore Street.

No other road users or pedestrians were impacted by the collision, Mr. Black told the court.

He claimed that Stewart had been unable to provide a breath sample due to the effects of the alcohol and her “emotional state”.

In mitigation, the solicitor said that his client had an entirely clear record and driving licence.

After observing a photograph of the scene, district judge, Nigel Broderick, told the court that the car had mounted the pavement and “thankfully no one was standing on the spot”.

The judge said that alcohol had caused Stewart to lose control and had also clouded her judgement.

Mr. Broderick imposed a £300 fine, a £15 offender levy and disqualified her from driving for 18 months.

The defendant must remain disqualified until retested.

Meanwhile, the judge refused to certify her for the drink-driving course as she didn’t cooperate with police after being asked to provide a breath sample.