A motorist who crashed his car into a wall told police he turned left because his satellite navigation system told him to make the turn.

Francis Martin Frazer (41) with an address at Glebe Close, Magheralin, Craigavon came before Fermanagh Magistrates Court charged with driving with excess alcohol.

The court heard that in the early hours of 16th September last year police were at the Donn Carragh Hotel in Lisnaskea dealing with a separate incident when they heard a loud bang.

When they went to investigate they discovered a Citroen car had mounted the kerb and hit the wall.

Police spoke to the driver of the car, the defendant, who told them his sat nav had told him to turn left, which he did causing him to hit the wall.

Police smelt intoxicating liquor on the breath of the defendant and they arrested him on suspicion of drinking and driving, at which he repeated his assertion, "Sat Nav said turn left".

The defendant was taken to Enniskillen Police Station where an evidential specimen of breath revealed a lower reading of 79mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath 44 in excess.

Defending, Gavin Cairns, BL, explained that the accused had been out in the Fermanagh area and had consumed a large amount of alcohol the previous evening.

Mr Cairns explained the defendant, a part-time taxi driver, was trying to make contact with a member of his family but when he was unable to do so he became concerned and decided to drive home. For driving with excess alcohol the defendant was handed a twelve month conditional discharge and disqualified from driving for 12 months by District Judge Bonita Boyd.