A student who drove his car in what his solicitor described as "an act of complete stupidity" has been banned from driving for one year.

Police were called out to the Makenny Road, Ballinamallard at around 2.40am on December 15, 2021 to a report of a road traffic collision.

On arrival the driver of the car involved, Alastair Jones (21), of Archdale Drive, Ballinamallard, was being checked out by ambulance staff.

A BMW car had crashed through a fence and ended up overturned in a field.

When police went to speak to Jones, Jones told them to arrest him because he was driving.

Jones failed a preliminary breath test and was transferred to the South West Acute Hospital for further care.

At the hospital a sample of blood was taken which returned a reading of 188mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, more than twice the legal limit.

When interviewed the following day, Jones was remorseful and said he was stressed at the time.

His solicitor, Michelle McVeigh, said the fact fairly outlined the circumstances of the case.

She said Jones was home from university in Scotland when he took the car in an "act of complete stupidity" which resulted in the crash.

Mrs. McVeigh asked the court to give her client, who is making a full recovery back in Scotland, maximum credit for his plea and his admission from the outset.

Deputy District Judge John Rea said this "was a clearly a case where the defendant was unable to have proper control of the vehicle" and was borne out in the fact it left the road.

He added it was a high reading but gave Jones credit for his early plea.

For driving with excess alcohol in his blood, Jones was banned from driving and fined £400.