A man was almost four times over the legal drink driving limit when stopped by police in Belleek.

On October 22, 2021, William Gallagher (43), of Main Street in the village was detected following a report to police of a car driving erratically.

When police arrived in the village they detected a car matching the description and stopped it, speaking to Gallagher and telling him the reason for their enquiries.

The defendant failed a preliminary breath test while an evidential reading of 134mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath was then taken. The legal limit is 35mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Michelle McVeigh, solicitor representing Gallagher, told the court it was a very difficult plea to make given the high reading.

She said Gallagher had made the "foolish" decision to drive home after consuming a significant amount of alcohol and was detected some four miles away from where he started his journey.

Mrs. McVeigh said her client's actions will have a far reaching impact on Gallagher's life beyond that which the court imposes and she asked the court to give whatever credit, however limited, to Gallagher for his early plea.

District Judge Steven Keown described it as an "exceptionally high reading" and banned Gallagher from driving for two years and fined him £300 for driving with excess alcohol in his breath.