A 20-year-old man who drove a friend’s car after drinking has been banned from driving for three years.

Conor Maguire, with an address of Edenclaw Road, Drumcahy, Ederney was convicted of driving with excess alcohol in his breath and having no insurance.

On February 27, 2021 at around 2.30pm police responded to a report of a suspected drink driver in a Volkswagen Golf in the Cornagrade Road of Enniskillen.

They located the car and stopped the defendant who failed an initial preliminary breath test. He was taken into custody where he gave an evidential reading of 85mg per 100ml of breath, over twice the legal limit.

In his submissions to the court, Maguire’s solicitor, Michael Fahy, admitted there was concern that this was entry of excess alcohol as a young man.

Mr. Fahy explained that Maguire had met friends and drank alcohol before “foolishly” asking the owner of the car if he could drive it and it was then that he came to the attention of police.

He added that the 20 year old co-operated with police and he knows that the inevitable disqualification would have implication on his work life and is not good for Maguire moving forward.

District Judge Steven Keown handed down a three year driving ban and a £700 fine to Maguire for the offences. He also certified him for the drink driver’s course.