A man plead guilty to driving with excess alcohol at Fermanagh magistrates Court this week. Roy Johnston, with an address of Thorton Villas Bellanaleck, was disqualified for 20 months and fined £200 by District Judge Michael Ranahan.

The court heard that on November 25 2018 police observed a dark Citroen C5 on the Cornagrade road slowing down, swerving and hitting the left hand kerb.

When police stopped the vehicle they observed the driver with slurred speech and the smell of alcohol.

A breath test gave a reading of 102ml of alcohol.

Defending solicitor explained that his client was a man who has “issues with alcohol” and revealed that Johnston has a number of “health issues which require various medications”.

Mr. Smyth explained that the defendant had not intended to leave his house that evening and had been drinking earlier in the day but that he had received a phone call to collect some of his children.

Mr. Smyth said that this was obviously the wrong decision to make and stated that Johnston severely regretted driving on that evening.

The court heard that Johnston had a relevant record but Mr. Smyth asked that it be taken into account that his last offence in relation to being over the limit due to alcohol was not for driving a vehicle but rather being in charge of a vehicle.

In summing up Mr. Ranahan stated that the reading was “excessively high” and imposed a £200 fine and disqualified Johnston from driving for 20 months.