Driving to collect a friend at a pub in Kesh has led to a driving ban for a Co. Tyrone man.

It was heard at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday how police were tasked to a report of a driver under the influence of alcohol on October 20, 2022, at around 6.30pm.

Police located the car, a Mini in the Killadeas Road area of Lisnarick and followed it travelling at 30-40mph.

The vehicle stopped and the passenger door opened.

Donald Joseph Collins (52), of McCrea Park, Drumquin was in the driver seat and there was a smell of intoxicating liquor coming from the car.

Collins told police he had consumed alcohol and he failed a preliminary breath test.

He was taken to Omagh Police Station where he gave an evidential reading of 90mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

He made full admissions saying he had been drinking vodka and said: "I shouldn't have done. If only for her I wouldn't have been in the car."

His solicitor, Sean McHugh, told the court that Collins had been reported to police by the passenger in the car and that his client had been at home when he got a call from a woman in distress at a bar in Kesh.

He said Collins had no intention of driving before this but "very foolishly" accepted this request one he regretted and wanted to apologise for.

Explaining how Collins had no driving licence or insurance to drive the car, Mr. McHugh explained the car was for a niece to use whenever she returned from England but since this incident, it had been sold and Collins had no intention of returning to the road.

For driving with excess alcohol in his breath, having no driving licence and using a motor vehicle without insurance, Collins was handed a 16-month driving disqualification and £550 in fines.