Magherafelt motorist was ‘so drunk he could barely speak’

Deputy District Judge, Paul Conway, also said he sympathised with 52 year-old Martin Patrick Lavery, who was described as having “hit rock bottom” on the occasion in question, but warned: “Drink driving can kill.”

Outlining the circumstances of the case at Dungannon Magistrates Court, a prosecuting lawyer explained police received a report from a member of the public that the defendant was driving while intoxicated in the Ballyforlea Road area of Moneymore on November 26, and that the defendant was “hardbly able to speak”.

The court was told that visibility was down to around 10 metres because of heavy fog.

When police located the defendant in his car, they too observed that Lavery was finding it difficult to complete a sentence.

A sample of breath subsequently provided by the defendant to police, showed his alcohol level to be 86mg, more than twice the legal limit.

Defending, Lavery’s lawyer told the court his client had experienced a significant amount of grief in recent times, with the deaths of loved ones.

Lavery, the lawyer added, “has found it difficult to cope” since then.

On the date in question, continued the defending lawyer, Lavery had purchased a bottle of wine, before driving to an “obscure” spot in the countryside where he consumed the alcohol and fell asleep.

Lavery had only driven a very short distance when he was spotted by a neighbour driving erratically, the court heard.

Asking the Judge to consider Lavery’s good character and personal difficulties, the lawyer said: “This has been him (Lavery) hitting rock bottom. However, this is an extremely one-off, isolated incident in his life, and he has since sought medical and bereavement support.”

Imposing a driving ban of 12 months and a fine of £250, Deputy District Judge Conway told Lavery: “The court has great sympathy for you and your grievances in the past. You hit rock bottom on this day but doing what you did is not how you deal with that.”