A report from a member of the public about a male drinking a can of beer before getting into a car has led to a driving ban for an Enniskillen man.

On March 5, officers on patrol in Enniskillen received a transmission about a man drinking the can of beer near the Lough Inn before getting into a Ford Galaxy.

Police responded to the report and detected the car driving on Ann Street towards Queen Street. Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard last Monday, April 24.

They followed the car and just as it was passing the police station, it almost collided with the kerb before turning on to the Cornagrade Road, where it sped up and had to break hard to stop colliding with a van.

Police got the car stopped, and when they approached it, detected a smell of alcohol, the court heard.

The defendant – Niall McKervey (34), of Irvinestown Road, Enniskillen – was removed from the car, as were the keys.

As well as a smell of alcohol, McKervey was unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred. He was arrested and cautioned, to which he made no reply.

McKervey gave an evidential reading of 103mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

His solicitor, Garry Smyth, told the court while his client had a relevant criminal record, there was a significant gap and he should be given credit for that.

He said the aggravating features of the incident were the manner of driving and the reading.

Mr. Smyth said McKervey put himself in this situation and was now “facing the consequences of that”.

He added that the loss of a driving licence would have an impact on McKervey’s employability and providing for his family.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay accepted the aggravating features were McKervey’s driving, the very high reading and his attitude to police, but he weighed that against the early guilty plea.

For driving with excess alcohol, McKervey received a 15-month driving disqualification, and a £400 fine.