Derry man charged with driving with excess alcohol after drinking the previous night
He said he had believed that he was fit to drive
Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how a man who had been drinking the previous night believed erroneously he was fit to drive the next evening.
Lawrence Hutton (41) of Groarty Close in Derry admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol on November 27 last.
The court heard that police were called to a report of a single vehicle accident by ambulance staff.
They arrived and found a vehicle badly damaged and the driver, Hutton, being treated in the ambulance.
A preliminary breath test was carried out and failed and a later evidential test revealed a reading of 69mgs almost twice the legal limit.
Hutton admitted being the driver and said he had not taken any alcohol that day.
Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that his client had not taken any drink that day but had been out the night before and had taken 'a considerable amount.'
He said he had believed that he was fit to drive but clearly wasn't.
Hutton was disqualified for 12 months and fined £200.