Over-the-limit driver had no lights on in town centre

A young man took somebody else’s car as he tried to get home from a party but was stopped when he drove through Portadown town centre with no lights on.

Corey Blair (18), Birchwood Grange, Portadown, appeared last Wednesday at Craigavon Court.

He was fined £150 and banned for 12 months for driving with excess alcohol on September 11.

For no insurance he was fined £200, and concurrently banned for six months.

He was fined £40 and banned for six months for not displaying ‘R’ plates and fined £100 and banned for six months for taking a vehicle without consent.

The court heard that at 2.20am police saw a car with no lights on being driven through Portadown town centre and they stopped him on Castle Street.

The defendant admitted he did not own the vehicle and there was a smell of intoxicating liquor.

Blair admitted taking the car without consent and an evidential breath test gave a reading of 77.

The car was returned to the injured party and there was no damage caused to it.

Defence solicitor Richard Monteith said Blair had gone to a party in the Birches area and the car owner, who was an acquaintance of the defendant, fell asleep.

He added that the keys of the car had been left on a table. Blair had no way to get back home so he took the car.

Mr Monteith said this had been a salutary lesson.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, told Blair it was a “foolish escapade for someone of your years”.