'˜Foolishly decided to drive' home after charity fundraiser

When she '˜foolishly decided' to drive after she had been drinking a 59-year-old woman crashed her car into a set of traffic lights.
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Rita McGovern, Derrylodge Manor, Lurgan, was banned from driving for 12 months last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

She was also fined £150 for excess alcohol in breath on May 13 this year.

If she completes a course for drink driving her ban will be reduced by three months.

The court heard that at approximately 1am police attended a one vehicle road traffic collision in William Street where a car had crashed into the traffic lights outside the Courthouse bar.

McGovern, who was driving, failed a preliminary breath test and an evidential test gave a reading of 69.

A solicitor representing the defendant said she had been at a charity fundraiser.

He added that she had consumed alcohol and foolishly decided to take her car which was parked outside the bar. She lived half a mile away which would have taken about only ten minutes to walk.

The solicitor said that she would also be responsible for the cost of the damage to the lights.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said he would take into account that but for one item ten years ago she had a clear licence and the reading was in the medium range.