Drink driver had no insurance

A 35-year-old woman who lost all her possessions in a house fire was banned from driving for two years last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.
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Sarah Harper, Enniskeen, Craigavon, was also fined £150 for driving without insurance on December 4 this year.

A concurrent two year ban and another £150 fine were imposed for driving with excess alcohol in breath on the same date.

She was fined £50 for not displaying ‘L’ plates and £50 for driving unaccompanied.

The court heard that at 3.45pm police saw a car being driven on Lake Road, Craigavon, and checks revealed there was no insurance in place.

They spoke to Harper who was driving and detected the smell of alcohol on her breath. An evidential breath test gave a reading of 41.

She was a provisional licence holder but did not have ‘L’ plates displayed and did not have a qualified driver with her.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said this was her third conviction for not having insurance.

He explained that she had suffered a terrible loss, which had been publicised in the local press, when her house burnt to the ground and she lost all her possessions.

Mr Downey added that she was actually homeless and was moving from house to house with different relatives.

He said Harper accepted she should not have been driving with drink taken.

The judge gave Harper 26 weeks to pay the fines.

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