Newry man refused to give name to police
Defendant’s name only ascertained through bank card found in vehicle
NEWRY Magistrates court has heard how a Craigmore man refused to give his name to police in spite of being asked several times to do so after being detected driving under the influence within the vicinity of the Camlough Road Bessbrook.
The fact was related in the case of Darren Cunningham (29) of Craigmore View Newry who appeared in the court to answer for charges of driving when unfit through drink or drugs, using a motor vehicle without insurance and failing to provide a specimen of breathe when driving when unfit.
The court heard how on August 16 of this year police on mobile patrol within the vicinity of the Millvale Road Bessbrook would come across a Passatt vehicle which was stuck at the traffic island on the road with its front wheel spinning .In the driver's seat was the defendant Cunningham who exited the vehicle with police observing that his speech was slurred and that he was unsteady on his feet.
Cunningham was asked by the officers to identify himself several times by the police but refused to acquiesce to this request several times with officers only being able to identify the Newry man through a bank card found in the Passatt .Cunningham also failed to provide officers with a preliminary breathe test and also refused to provide an evidential sample when brought into custody.
Addressing the court a defence solicitor explained how Cunningham did have previous entries on his record for no insurance but that this was his first drink driving offence.
Imposing upon Cunningham fines totalling £900 as well as an 18-month period of disqualification from driving district Judge Natasha Fitzsimons warned Cunningham that if he comes before the court again for drink driving matters he may find that he will no be treated with such comparative leniency in the future.