A 27-year-old Latvian man faces a £250 fine and a 12 month driving ban after he was convicted of drink driving and came before a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrates Court.

Resident Magistrate Liam McNally heard how at approximately 7.00am on Sunday, 15th April, police spoke to the defendant, Alvis Cirulis from Sunnyside Court, Enniskillen, who was in the driver's seat of car in the entrance of a factory.

He confirmed that he was the owner of the vehicle. There was strong smell of intoxicating liquor detected off his breath, his speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot and he had trouble focusing.

The bonnet of the car was still warm from the heat of the engine. He was arrested and police reversed the vehicle into the entrance to prevent an obstruction. The keys were removed from the ignition.

The defendant told officers: 'I was only sitting'. He failed to provide a sample of breath when conveyed to Enniskillen Police Station where he said, after caution, 'I understand'. He had no previous convictions. The defendant was self-represented in court.

Mr McNally said he would take Cirulis's early plea into account. He imposed a £250 fine and a 12 month driving ban.

Lisbellaw man tarnishes clean record

A 50-year-old Lisbellaw man has been fined £250 and has had six penalty points endorsed on his licence after he pleaded guilty to a number of motoring offences.

Fermanagh Magistrate's Court heard how at approximately 10.15m on Saturday, 19th May, police on patrol at the Cultiagh A4 Lisbellaw Road stopped the defendant, Adrian John Orr, from Derryclawan Road, and asked him to produce his driving documents. He admitted to having no insurance and no vehicle test certificate.

Orr was cautioned and admitted the offences and was informed that the matter would be reported for the purposes of prosecution.

Defending, Orr's solicitor told the court that her client was a 50-year-old farmer. He was not normally in the vehicle in question but he had planned to get it insured. She said he had been driving for 25 years and had never come before the court. The car she said was now fully insured and MOT'd.

For driving without insurance, Orr was fined £200 and had six penalty points endorsed on his licence. For driving without a vehicle test certificate, he was fined a further £50.

Woman disqualified for drink driving

A 47-year-old Lisnaskea woman faces a £300 fine and a 12 month driving disqualification after she pleaded guilty to drink driving and came before a recent sitting of Fermanagh Magistrate's Court.

Resident Magistrate Liam McNally heard how at approximately 11.00pm on Sunday, 12th November, a vehicle was driving erratically on the Cushwash Road, Lisnaskea.

The defendant, Margaret Lynch, from Baltreagh, was stopped by police who detected a strong smell of intoxicating liquor off her breath. The Court was told that she was unsteady on her feet and her eyes were glazed.

The defendant was arrested at midnight for driving while under the influence of alcohol. She was conveyed to Enniskillen Police Station where a reading showed 139 micrograms of alcohol, that being 104 over the prescribed limit.

Defending, Michael Fahy told the court that his client had no previous convictions. She accepted that the reading was exceptionally high. She had consumed alcohol over the course of the day and evening and had no food.

It was unfortunate, he submitted, that his client had got to this stage in her life for this to happen. He said that she had been driving since the age of 18, some 30 years altogether.

Mr McNally said he would consider her lengthy driving record and clean licence. For the offence, he imposed a £300 fine and a 12 month driving ban.

Three month ban after accident

A 26-year-old Enniskillen man faces a £250 fine and has been disqualified from driving for three months after he pleaded guilty to careless driving.

Fermanagh Magistrate's Court heard how on Thursday, 19th April, Gareth Coalter, form Meadow Farm, Garvary, was involved in a two vehicle road traffic collision at a junction on the Derrygonnelly Road and Drummee Road, Enniskillen.

The injured party, a mother, was with her two children when the accident occurred. They sustained minor injuries. Coalter told Police: 'I just came out of the junction, it's my fault'.

Mr McNally noted that this was Coalter's third conviction for careless driving. He subsequently imposed a £250 fine and a three month driving ban.