A Belcoo man who drove through a police checkpoint and reached speeds of 75mph while drink-driving has been disqualified from driving.

At Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday, it was heard on October 17 last, police were conducting a checkpoint at around 9pm on Main Street, Belcoo, when they observed a Ford Transit swerving all over the road coming in the direction of Blacklion.

Officers signalled for the van to stop, but it proceeded on, and the officers were forced to move before pursuing the van for 1.2 miles.

During this time, the van reached speeds of 75mph and crossed to the other side of the road, almost colliding with other vehicles.

The van stopped at an address on the Lattone Road, and Gavin Maguire (31), of Lattone Road, Belcoo, was removed from the vehicle and arrested.

A blood sample was taken and returned a reading of 260mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood – three times over the limit of 80mg.

When interviewed, Maguire said he had a number of pints in Blacklion, and had not eaten, and that he could not remember anything of his encounter with the police.

Gerard Trainor, solicitor for Maguire, accepted that the reading was high and the driving was dangerous, and asked for credit for Maguire's plea at the first opportunity.

Mr. Trainor asked the court to take into account Maguire's "good character", as borne out in testimonials handed into the court from his employer, who spoke of him as an "industrious, hard-working young man".

The solicitor said this incident was out of character and Maguire "panicked" seeing the police checkpoint, and the bad piece of driving was aggravated by alcohol.

Mr. Trainor added that on the other hand, Maguire led a "blameless life", and he will not come before the court again.

Deputy District Judge Trevor Browne said it was an "absolute miracle" how Maguire or anybody else was not killed, and he could only imagine the reaction the next morning when Maguire woke up and realised what he had done.

Maguire was convicted of dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in his blood, banned for 12 months from driving, and fined £750.