A solicitor has said how the disqualification from driving of his client had come too late for him as he was involved in a serious road traffic accident which resulted in serious injuries.

Michael McGirr of Breagho Road, Enniskillen appeared at Fermanagh Magistrates Court in crutches and cast on his right leg to face charges of possessing class B controlled drugs and driving when unfit through drink or drugs.

The court heard on August 5, 2018 police were responding to a report of an intoxicated male at a shop on the Coa Road, Enniskillen.

When officers arrived they found the defendant slumped on a wall and a motorcycle parked at the shop.

CCTV footage showed McGirr driving the bike into the shop’s car park.

When McGirr was spoken to by the officers his speech was slurred, his eyes were red and he was swaying.

A preliminary breath test came back positive while a quantity of cannabis was also discovered. McGirr was taken into custody were more drugs were found.

An evidential breath test was carried out which he failed while blood samples taken showed MDMA in the defendant’s blood.

Gary Black, representing McGirr, said the delay in the case was no fault of the defendant and that he had been living with it ever since and was aware he faced disqualification.

In explaining why the ban had come too late for his client he said he had been involved in a serious accident on the M1 in September on his bike which resulted in the serious injury and his inability to work.

Mr. Black told the court McGirr had been at a party and had taken drink and drugs offered to him and pointed out that the reading was quite low at 53mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath and that the staff in the shop alerted police.

District Judge Steven Keown banned McGirr from driving for 12 months, fined him £350 and thereafter certified him for a drink driver’s course.